An Organization Dedicated to Hair Disorder Research

Photo courtesy of Marna E. Ericson, PhD and Maria Hordinsky, MD

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The American Hair Research Society (AHRS) is a nonprofit organization composed of physicians, scientists, and industry partners. Our members support collaborative scientific research of hair disorders. We are dedicated to the advancement and education in the field of hair biology to provide improved patient care.

Our History

The AHRS began as, “The North American Hair Research Society (NAHRS)” in 1989 by a group of dermatologists committed to furthering research in hair-related disorders. They had identified a need for an organization that supported hair research and were determined to fulfill it. The benefits of the interactions among clinicians, pathologists, clinical investigators, and basic scientists were of paramount importance.

Over the past decades, the connection between clinical and basic researchers interested in hair biology has nurtured the organization. In 2016, there became an apparent increased interest by Central and South American colleagues, and a “Pan Am Work Group” was established. In 2017, the NAHRS, which was previously focused in the U.S. and Canada, formally expanded to, “American Hair Research Society (AHRS)” – the hair research society representing all of the Americas.

In 2018, AHRS added to its meeting calendar sessions at CILAD, RADLA, and other prestigious meetings in Latin America.

Our Mission

  • To strongly encourage and promote scientific research in the field of the normal and disordered hair growth.
  • To promote dissemination of state-of-the-art knowledge on hair biology and medical hair disorders.
  • To promote interdisciplinary interaction between basic scientists and clinicians through regular meetings, publications, and innovative communication.
  • To establish links with other international hair research societies and arrange combined meetings on a periodic basis.
  • To educate both our colleagues and the public on hair biology, pathophysiology, and treatment of hair-related conditions.

How We Accomplish Our Goals

  • By promoting interactions between scientists and clinicians
  • By recruiting established and new basic scientists to study the hair follicle in novel ways
  • By introducing the hair follicle as a useful model for studying many cellular processes not readily attributed to hair follicle biology, such as pigmentation, apoptosis, and stem cell biology
  • By bringing together investigators from different backgrounds to improve the study of hair biology and hair loss

Our Accomplishments to Date

  • Developing mentorships in hair research for recent graduates of dermatology. residency programs or young faculty interested in careers in hair research
  • Awarding seed research funds to investigators in the area of hair biology or hair disorders
  • Supporting online hair research resources
  • Creating a sophisticated interactive website to allow society members to share information and ultimately serve as a source of clear, accurate information for patients with hair disorders

What are the Current AHRS Activities?

We provide a forum for sharing clinical, therapeutic, and scientific information at annual meetings associated with the Society for Investigative Dermatology, the American Academy of Dermatology, and more recently, Reunion Annual de Dermatologos LatinoAmericanos (RADLA, translation: Latin American Congress of Dermatology), and Colegio Ibero-Latinoamericano de Dermatologia (CILAD, translation: Ibero Latin American College of Dermatology). In addition, we hold scientific sessions at the World Congress of Dermatology and International Investigative Dermatology meeting. A major goal of the society is to encourage the active interchange of ideas between clinical practitioners, clinical investigators, and basic researchers interested in hair.

This is important because rapid advances in basic research, such as the sequencing of the human genome, need to be applied to problems in hair research. The AHRS seeks to decrease the lag time between the advent of new technology and its application to hair research. Similarly, the AHRS promotes the translation of findings in the laboratory to new treatments that can help patients with hair loss.

AHRS seeks to support physicians and scientists interested in studying hair diseases and taking care of patients with hair loss. We provide mentorship grants to allow young physicians and scientists to spend time with recognized leaders in hair research.

AHRS previously provided small seed grants to support hair research projects, with the idea that the funded investigator would then obtain National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to continue their research. The AHRS Research Grant program has been put on hold due to lack of funding, but it is the hopes to renew the program in the near future.

The AHRS is a founding member of the International Federation of Hair Research Societies and participates in the World Congress for Hair Research.

The AHRS website facilitates enhanced communication among members of the hair research community. It also functions as an educational resource for medical and basic science professionals and the public.

The NAHRS Seal of Recognition Program was created to inform physicians and consumers about products whose quality and effectiveness are beneficial in some aspect in promoting healthy hair or scalp, in diagnosing or treating hair or scalp disease, in diagnosing or treating hair loss, or in stimulating or inhibiting hair growth.

AHRS Headquarters Address

American Hair Research Society

1932 South Halsted Street, Suite 413
Chicago, IL 60608 USA

Telephone:
+1-630-578-3991

Fax:
+1-630-262-1520

Email:
[email protected]