The Incyte Ingenuity Awards in VitiligoTM

Encouraging innovation within the vitiligo community

The 2024 lncyte Ingenuity Awards in Vitiligo™ are now closed for applications. New applications will no longer be accepted at this time.

Learn more about our judging panel as well as our past recipients.

NEW

 

Vitiligo Innovators ProgramTM

The Vitiligo Innovators ProgramTM (VIP) is no longer accepting nominations at this time.

Introducing the Recipients of the 2023 Incyte Ingenuity Awards in Vitiligo!

We are pleased to announce that UMass Chan Medical School, Department of Dermatology and Litty Ligo Vitiligo Community Network are the recipients of the 2023 Incyte Ingenuity Awards in Vitiligo! Both proposals offer innovative ways to address the unique challenges faced by people living with vitiligo.

UMass Chan Medical School logo

UMass Chan Medical School, Department of Dermatology was selected to receive an award up to $100,000 for its project, Removing Educational Equity Barriers for Individuals with Vitiligo. This proposal sets out to identify the gaps of public education in vitiligo, particularly for children and those who are non-native English language speakers, through the creation of engaging and cutting-edge digital, visual public educational materials.

Vitiligo Community logo

The Litty Ligo Vitiligo Community Network was selected to receive an award up to $35,000 for its project, Beautiful Both Ways: A Celebration of You. This proposal sets out to acknowledge and provide support for commonly reported obstacles by the vitiligo community such as maintaining a healthy body image, managing self-esteem and understanding mental health through an in-person community event.

Learn more about the
award-winning projects.

See the Recipients

Offering Two Awards for Outstanding Initiatives

One up to $35,000 and another up to $100,000

The Incyte Ingenuity Awards in Vitiligo aim to support the vitiligo community by funding two innovative initiatives that address challenges faced by patients, caregivers and healthcare providers.

Approximately 1.5 million people in the US are diagnosed with vitiligo, which is more than a cosmetic issue. While significant strides have been made to spread awareness, more still needs to be done, as vitiligo can have a substantial impact on a person’s everyday life.

This is where Incyte steps in. Incyte, a global pharmaceutical company, is deeply dedicated to positively impacting the lives of patients with serious medical needs. As a part of this commitment, the company is excited to reopen the Incyte Ingenuity Awards in Vitiligo application period to continue to foster collaboration among key stakeholders to address the specific needs of the vitiligo community.

The application period is now closed and will reopen in June 2025. Recipients for the 2024 cycle will be announced at that time.

Eligibility

Eligibility Information

The following groups and individuals are eligible to apply for the Incyte Ingenuity Awards in Vitiligo:

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Non-profit 501(c)(3), patient, policy, and caregiver organizations

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Healthcare providers and mid-level/junior faculty of healthcare organizations*

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Individuals or other companies collaborating with these organizations and institutions**

Programs must be independent of any ongoing activities, with the exception of considerably expanding an existing program. Additionally, programs cannot include indirect costs with the proposed budget. To be eligible, you and your organization must be US based (including Washington DC and Puerto Rico).

*Applications must be submitted in the name of an institution, not on behalf of an individual.

**Individuals or other companies interested in applying must partner with either a non-profit organization or a healthcare facility (i.e., hospitals, academic research centers, etc.) to be eligible.

Applications will be disqualified if:

  • Focus is on a particular therapeutic agent, translational research, or clinical research that is interventional in nature
  • Program is based on an existing initiative, with no evidence of ingenuity
  • Organization is improperly identified as a 501(c)(3) organization
  • Application is submitted by a healthcare professional as an individual (individuals will need to partner with a not-for-profit or other organization to be considered)
  • Defined scope does not serve or plan to address a specific need of the vitiligo community
  • Request in funding exceeds 25 percent of an organization’s overall annual budget and/or includes indirect costs
  • Application is submitted by an employee of Incyte, Real Chemistry, and/or other vendors, or members of the immediate family of any such persons
  • Program is duplicated, with multiple copies of an application submitted by the same organization
  • Program exceeds the maximum application limit per organization (more than five)
  • Program includes financial support, gifts, or other items of monetary value to patients, either directly or indirectly
  • Applicant and/or organization are not based in the United States

Incyte reserves the right to modify the eligibility requirements at any time.

Have additional questions?
Check out our FAQ page

Meet the Judges

Meet the Judges

Meet our Incyte Ingenuity Awards in Vitiligo judging panel!

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Erika Page

Erika Page is the Founder and Editor of Living Dappled, a blog and community for women with vitiligo, an autoimmune disease that causes loss of pigment. After getting vitiligo at the age of seven, she lost 100% of her pigment; she founded the platform to help educate, support, and inspire the 1% of the population with this condition. Erika has spoken at the U.S. World Vitiligo Day conference and has been featured on DermHealth.Co’s Heal Thy Skin podcast, Channel Kindness, and The Pretty Pimple. In 2021, Erika Page was named the No. 4 Most Influential Vitiligan for the second year in a row through a survey conducted by Unite for Vitiligo.

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Vivian Shi, MD, FAAD

Vivian Shi is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, Professor at Department of Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle. Dr Shi’s research and clinical interests are in complex inflammatory skin conditions. She cares for a large volume of patients with pigmentary disorders, including vitiligo, and has published extensively on topics related to disparities and management of patients with skin of color. She has served on the steering committee on the sciences of skin related to diverse pigmentation. She has served as the principal investigator for numerous industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated clinical and translational studies. She has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and is the editor for two reference dermatology textbooks on atopic dermatitis and hidradenitis suppurativa. She is an editor of chapters on dermatoses related to pigmentary alteration in an upcoming diagnostic textbook. She is on the Board of Directors for the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation, the advisory board of the National Eczema Association, and is a member of the International Eczema Council.

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Gwen Dalphon, PA-C

Gwen Dalphon is a board-certified Physician Assistant licensed by the
state of Delaware where she has practiced as a PA in dermatology since 2013. Mrs. Dalphon graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Robert Morris University in 2009. There she played 4 years of division one field hockey. She earned her Master’s of Science in Physician Assistant Studies in 2012 from Seton Hill University. Mrs. Dalphon completed an American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) approved Dermatology Physician Assistant Fellowship training program in Washington, DC. As a Dermatology PA, Gwen is trained to diagnose and treat many skin conditions including but not limited to acne, rosacea, eczema, warts, psoriasis, and skin cancer. She also performs comprehensive skin exams and minor surgeries including the removal of benign and cancerous lesions. She has a special interest in psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and vitiligo. She has also had extensive training in Botox injections. Gwen is a member of the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants and the AAPA. She currently serves as president on the board of directors for the Delaware Academy of Physician Assistants. Each summer she provides the dermatology lecture for the Arcadia University Physician Assistant Program. When not working she enjoys traveling, exercising, and spending time with her husband and their dog, Tater.

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James Mcleod

James Mcleod is a dynamic force of positivity, committed to transforming both bodies and minds through self-love and inclusivity. Despite facing great adversity and bullying due to vitiligo, James overcomes these challenges and now shares his story as a motivational speaker, social influencer, personal trainer, and author. He inspires audiences of all ages at schools, youth programs, churches, and on social media. James is the author of two children’s books, The Boy Behind the Face and My Daily Superpowers, which promote messages of confidence, acceptance, and positivity. James has been featured in the global fashion magazine CR Fashion Book, on Bodybuilding.com, in campaigns for Soul Cycle, WebMD, PBS, and was a featured presenter at World Vitiligo Day 2020. As a young boy, James was determined not to let bullying define who he is. Now, James has dedicated his life to supporting and inspiring others to overcome their insecurities and fears. Join James to “Smile and let your happy shine!” @thatvitiligo_guy

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Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, FAAD

Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, is an internationally recognized expert in skin of color. She lectures nationally and internationally on the cosmetic concerns of skin of color. Dr Woolery-Lloyd participates extensively in clinical research, serving as an investigator for clinical trials with an emphasis on increasing inclusion of skin of color patients. She has dozens of publications in the medical literature with a focus on skin of color dermatology. She has also been featured as an expert dermatologist in various publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Forbes. Dr Woolery-Lloyd is an active member of the American Academy of Dermatology and the Skin of Color Society. She also serves as Director of the Skin of Color Division for the University of Miami Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery.

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Incyte will not provide any advice or input during the judging process, and all decisions made by the judging panel are made independently and are final. These judges will receive compensation for their services from Incyte, based on fair market value.

Judging Criteria

Judging Criteria – What Makes an
Award-Winning Project?

Our judging panel will consider the following criteria when evaluating each award application:

Checkmark iconDoes the applicant meet the eligibility requirements?

Handshake iconDid the applicant collaborate with any other organizations to optimize the success of the initiative?

Documents iconDoes the application contain all of the necessary details and supporting documents?

Puzzle piece iconDoes the proposal exhibit a thoughtful, creative and innovative approach to address a specific need within the vitiligo community? Does it add a new resource or method of support to the community (without providing financial support, gifts, or other items of monetary value to patients either directly or indirectly)?

Stopwatch iconCan the proposal be completed within the one-year time frame?

Target iconDoes the proposal demonstrate a clear purpose and rationale?

Dollar sign iconDoes the proposal include a realistic and appropriate budget?

Upward pointing arrow iconDoes the proposal have clear and measurable outcomes? Does it follow the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) methodology for setting goals?

Incyte reserves the right to change the judging criteria at any time.

Program Rules

Program Rules

The application process will occur in two rounds:

Icon of the number 1Round one

The round one application period is now closed and the judges are reviewing submitted applications.

Icon of the number 2Round two

In progress: Selected applicants will be asked to complete an additional form, further detailing their proposal, as well as specific questions from the judging panel via email that address:

  • Realistic budget breakdown and timeline of milestones to execute initiative within one year of selection
  • Measurable elements and anticipated outcomes that will define success and demonstrate impact
  • Identification of any organizational challenges in execution
  • Specific questions, unique to each application, based on information the judging panel members would like the applicant to clarify and/or expand upon

Have additional questions?
Check out our FAQ page