Luiten R.M.: Immunology of melanoma and autoimmune skin diseases

The pigment research team of the department of Dermatology and Netherlands Institute for Pigment Cell Disorders (SNIP) is specialized in clinical and translational research on the immunology of vitiligo and immunotherapy of melanoma. We identified the immunopathogenesis and the provoking factors for vitiligo, and participate in a large international consortium to identify the genetic susceptibility of vitiligo. Our research now focusses on the balance between autoimmune activity in vitiligo and the susceptibility of skin cells to autoimmune attack. Clinical research aims at characterizing biomarkers and measuring tools for vitiligo disease activity and response to treatment and the development of innovative vitiligo treatments.

Based on the favorable association of vitiligo with melanoma survival, we are developing a new type of immunotherapy of melanoma by the induction of antimelanocyte autoimmunity. We initiated the IO-GEM consortium together with our collaborators at New York University, to perform a large international study on genetic biomarkers for response or toxicity to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma patients. Moreover, we are exploring the broader impact of vitiligo on skin cancer.