INTRODUCTION
Vitiligo research has seen a gradual increase in publications and citations from 1980 to 2000, with a significant rise after 2005.1 Vitiligo research peaked in 2016 with 528 published articles and in 2017 with 10,390 citations. The most cited works are original articles from the United States, focusing on melanoma, autoimmunity, and immunotherapy.1 To guide future research and funding opportunities, this study evaluated trends in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding of vitiligo research.
The NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool database was used in July 2024, to identify projects funded between fiscal years 1985 and 2024, limiting the search to project titles containing "vitiligo".2 Information was collected on the project title, project number, administering institutes or centers (ICs), department, organization name, organization city, organization state, organization type, organization country, grant type, project start and end dates, funding mechanism, fiscal year, total cost, total cost (sub projects), funding IC(s), direct cost IC, indirect cost IC, and total cost IC. NIH funding amounts have been adjusted to 1985 US dollars to account for inflation using Consumer Price Index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.3
The NIH awarded 166 vitiligo research awards between 1985 and 2024. This study analyzed 144 of these awards, totaling $22,343,119. Vitiligo research funding has fluctuated over the years, but in recent years shows an upward trend. The greatest increase occurred between 1998 and 1999, with the average funding per grant increasing by $124,316, leading to a total funding increase from $269,102 to $1,149,554 (Figure 1).2
The NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool database was used in July 2024, to identify projects funded between fiscal years 1985 and 2024, limiting the search to project titles containing "vitiligo".2 Information was collected on the project title, project number, administering institutes or centers (ICs), department, organization name, organization city, organization state, organization type, organization country, grant type, project start and end dates, funding mechanism, fiscal year, total cost, total cost (sub projects), funding IC(s), direct cost IC, indirect cost IC, and total cost IC. NIH funding amounts have been adjusted to 1985 US dollars to account for inflation using Consumer Price Index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.3
The NIH awarded 166 vitiligo research awards between 1985 and 2024. This study analyzed 144 of these awards, totaling $22,343,119. Vitiligo research funding has fluctuated over the years, but in recent years shows an upward trend. The greatest increase occurred between 1998 and 1999, with the average funding per grant increasing by $124,316, leading to a total funding increase from $269,102 to $1,149,554 (Figure 1).2
