Following a national search, John E. Harris, MD, PhD, has been named as Mass General Brigham’s (MGB) chair of the Department of Dermatology, effective November 1. In this role, Dr. Harris will be responsible for leading the clinical, educational and research activities within the Department of Dermatology at MGB’s academic medical centers and across the system. He will oversee the integration of the department to create a single department that seamlessly serves the needs of patients and supports the MGB community. Dr. Harris will also hold the Lancer Endowed Chair in Dermatology.
Dr. Harris is a board-certified dermatologist and tenured physician-scientist whose career has been defined by his groundbreaking work in autoimmune skin diseases, especially vitiligo. He currently serves as chair of the Department of Dermatology at UMass Chan Medical School, where he is also the founding director of both the Autoimmune Therapeutics Institute and the Vitiligo Clinic and Research Center.
Dr. Harris leads a robust National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research program that spans basic, translational and clinical research, with a focus on revealing disease mechanisms and advancing targeted immunotherapies. His work has been featured in leading journals, such as The Lancet, NEJM, Science Translational Medicine, Journal of Experimental Medicine, Journal of Clinical Investigation and JAAD, and has driven pivotal clinical trials, including those that led to the approval of the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment for vitiligo.
A recognized leader in his field, Dr. Harris has received numerous honors, including the NIH Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the AAD Marion B. Sulzberger Award for transformative basic science research, election to the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI) and the Lambi and Sarah Adams Endowed Chair in Genetic Research at UMass Chan. Dr. Harris is also an accomplished entrepreneur. He founded Villaris Therapeutics, which was acquired by Incyte in 2022 and is now advancing promising therapies in clinical trials. He also co-founded several biotech companies that merged to form Alys Pharmaceuticals, where he serves as chief innovation officer.
In addition to his leadership and research, Dr. Harris is a passionate advocate for patients. He has successfully influenced insurance policy to improve access to vitiligo care and has represented patients in FDA hearings. His Vitiligo Clinic at UMass Chan is internationally recognized, drawing patients from around the world and offering advanced clinical treatments and research participation opportunities.
“I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Drs. David Fisher and Tom Kupper for their outstanding leadership of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital Departments of Dermatology for many years; I’m pleased that they will continue to contribute as valued members of our faculty,” says David F. M. Brown, MD, president of academic medical centers for Mass General Brigham. “With Dr. Harris now stepping into this leadership role, I am confident we are poised to create a truly exceptional, integrated Department of Dermatology.”
