NPF-Funded Research

Phototherapy in Psoriasis Patients of Skin of Color

Megan Hauptman, M.D.

Principal Investigator: Megan Hauptman, M.D.
Institution: University of Michigan Medical Center (Michigan Medicine)


Grant Mechanism: Psoriatic Disease Research Fellowship
Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Start Date: July 1, 2025
Project End Date: June 30, 2026
Status: Active
Keywords: Psoriasis, Clinical Research, Immunology, Comorbidity, Special Populations

Project Summary:

Patients with skin of color face unique challenges in psoriasis diagnosis and treatment. Phototherapy (ultraviolet light treatment) is effective, but the dosing is not “one size fits all”. We want to understand how patients with varying skin tones react to phototherapy. We will collect skin samples before and after phototherapy treatment and use laboratory techniques to look at changes in skin immune cells. We will collect information to see how skin color, sunlight sensitivity, and race/ethnicity may predict how a person reacts to phototherapy. We will see how side effects might be different for people with different skin tones. We hope to develop an accurate and user-friendly phototherapy dosing guide for patients of all skin tones.

How will your project help improve the lives of the 125 million affected by psoriatic disease?

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting a diverse population, including 3.7% of White individuals, 1.9% of black individuals, 1.6% of Hispanic individuals, and 1.4% of other races/ethnicities in the United States. While NB-UVB is a safe and effective treatment for psoriasis, the current dosing protocols for NB-UVB based on Fitzpatrick skin type (FST) or minimal erythema dose (MED) are not optimized for SOC. This project, investigating the acute immunologic response to NB-UVB in psoriasis patients of varying levels of skin pigmentation, will provide crucial information to better understand the relationship between skin pigmentation and therapeutic response to NB-UVB.

Why is psoriatic disease research important to you, personally? What role will this award play in your research efforts or career development?

I am specifically interested in the NPF fellowship program, as it provides a unique opportunity for me to gain experience in psoriasis clinical trials at an early stage in my career. I aspire to become an academic dermatologist specifically focused on clinical research of chronic skin disease such as psoriasis.



Researcher Profile:

Megan Hauptman, M.D., is a clinical research fellow at the University of Michigan Department of Dermatology. Under the direction of Dr. Mio Nakamura, she works on patient recruitment and participation in clinical and translational studies. Dr. Hauptman is a graduate of the University of Arizona- Tucson College of Medicine. Following graduation, she completed an internship in internal medicine at the University of Arizona- Tucson.

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