Stanca Birlea, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Dermatology

Research Interests

Publications

• 1. Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors increase pigment cells proliferation and melanization in cultured melanocytes and within a 3D skin equivalent model”, by Stanca Birlea, Nathaniel Goldstein, Zack Berk, Landon Tomb, Junxiao Hu, Laura Hoaglin, Dennis Roop, Roni Adiri, Juliana Machado Canosa, Paul Sanders, David Norris, Karl Nocka, Amy Cha. Accepted as poster presentation, Global Vitiligo Foundation Meeting, March 2024. Submitted in Dec 2023.
• “Vitiligo non-responding lesions to Narrow Band UVB have intriguing cellular and molecular abnormalities that prevent epidermal repigmentation.” Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research 2023. by N. Goldstein, A. Steel, L. Tomb, Z. Berk, J Hu,…., D. Roop, D. Norris, S. Birlea.
• Lambert KA, Clements CM, Mukherjee N, Pacheco TR, Shellman SX, Henen MA, Vögeli B, Goldstein NB, Birlea S, Hintzsche J, Tan AC, Zhao R, Norris DA, Robinson WA, Wang Y, VanTreeck JG, Shellman YG. SASH1 interacts with TNKS2 and promotes human melanocyte stem cell maintenance. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Sep 27:2023.09.26.559624. doi: 10.1101/2023.09.26.559624. PMID: 37808724; PMCID: PMC10557680.
• Goldstein NB, Steel A, Barbulescu CC, Koster MI, Wright MJ, Jones KL, Gao B, Ward B, Woessner B, Trottier Z, Pakieser J, Hu J, Lambert KA, Shellman YG, Fujita M, Robinson WA, Roop DR, Norris DA, Birlea SA. Melanocyte Precursors in the Hair Follicle Bulge of Repigmented Vitiligo Skin Are Controlled by RHO-GTPase, KCTD10, and CTNNB1 Signaling. J Invest Dermatol. 2021 Mar;141(3):638-647.e13. PubMed PMID: 32800877
• Barbulescu CC, Goldstein NB, Roop DR, Norris DA, Birlea SA. Harnessing the Power of Regenerative Therapy for Vitiligo and Alopecia Areata. J Invest Dermatol. 2020 Jan;140(1):29-37. PubMed PMID: 31196751
• Goldstein NB, Steel A, Barbulescu CC, Koster MI, Wright MJ, Jones KL, Gao B, Ward B, Woessner B, Trottier Z, Pakieser J, Hu J, Lambert KA, Shellman YG, Fujita M, Robinson WA, Roop DR, Norris DA, Birlea SA. Melanocyte Precursors in the Hair Follicle Bulge of Repigmented Vitiligo Skin Are Controlled by RHO-GTPase, KCTD10, and CTNNB1 Signaling. J Invest Dermatol. 2020 Aug 13. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 32800877
• Birlea SA, Serota M, Norris DA. Non-bullous Skin Diseases: Alopecia Areata, Vitiligo, Psoriasis, and Urticaria. In: The Autoimmune Diseases (Mackay&Rose eds) (Sixth Edition). Boston, Academic Press
• Filipp FV, Birlea S, Bosenberg MW, Brash D, Cassidy PB, Chen S, D'Orazio JA, Fujita M, Goh BK, Herlyn M, Indra AK, Larue L, Leachman SA, Le Poole C, Liu-Smith F, Manga P, Montoliu L, Norris DA, Shellman Y, Smalley KSM, Spritz RA, Sturm RA, Swetter SM, Terzian T, Wakamatsu K, Weber JS, Box NF. Frontiers in pigment cell and melanoma research. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2018 Nov;31(6):728-735.
• Mayer JE, Miller MD, Birlea SA. Symmetric multilocular epidermoid cysts on the face: An unusual presentation of a common lesion. JAAD Case Rep. 2018 May;4(4):337-339. PubMed PMID: 29693063
• Goldstein NB, Koster MI, Jones KL, Gao B, Hoaglin LG, Robinson SE, Wright MJ, Birlea SI, Luman A, Lambert KA, Shellman YG, Fujita M, Robinson WA, Roop DR, Norris DA, Birlea SA. Repigmentation of Human Vitiligo Skin by NBUVB Is Controlled by Transcription of GLI1 and Activation of the ß-Catenin Pathway in the Hair Follicle Bulge Stem Cells. J Invest Dermatol. 2018 Mar;138(3):657-668. PubMed PMID: 29054607
• Birlea SA, Costin GE, Roop DR, Norris DA. Trends in Regenerative Medicine: Repigmentation in Vitiligo Through Melanocyte Stem Cell Mobilization. Med Res Rev. 2017 Jul;37(4):907-935. PubMed PMID: 28029168
• Birlea SA, Goldstein NB, Norris DA. Repigmentation through Melanocyte Regeneration in Vitiligo. Dermatol Clin. 2017 Apr;35(2):205-218. PubMed PMID: 28317529
• Birlea SA. S100B: Correlation with Active Vitiligo Depigmentation. J Invest Dermatol. 2017 Jul;137(7):1408-1410. PubMed PMID: 28647026
• Goldstein NB, Koster MI, Jones KL, Gao B, Hoaglin LG, Robinson SE, Wright MJ, Birlea SI, Luman A, Lambert KA, Shellman YG, Fujita M, Robinson WA, Roop DR, Norris DA, Birlea SA. Repigmentation of Human Vitiligo Skin by NBUVB Is Controlled by Transcription of GLI1 and Activation of the ß-Catenin Pathway in the Hair Follicle Bulge Stem Cells. J Invest Dermatol. 2017 Oct 17. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29054607
• Jin Y, Andersen G, Yorgov D, Ferrara TM, Ben S, Brownson KM, Holland PJ, Birlea SA, Siebert J, Hartmann A, Lienert A, van Geel N, Lambert J, Luiten RM, Wolkerstorfer A, Wietze van der Veen JP, Bennett DC, Taïeb A, Ezzedine K, Kemp EH, Gawkrodger DJ, Weetman AP, Kõks S, Prans E, Kingo K, Karelson M, Wallace MR, McCormack WT, Overbeck A, Moretti S, Colucci R, Picardo M, Silverberg NB, Olsson M, Valle Y, Korobko I, Böhm M, Lim HW, Hamzavi I, Zhou L, Mi QS, Fain PR, Santorico SA, Spritz RA. Genome-wide association studies of autoimmune vitiligo identify 23 new risk loci and highlight key pathways and regulatory variants. Nat Genet. 2016 Nov;48(11):1418-1424. PubMed PMID: 27723757
• Goldstein NB, Koster MI, Hoaglin LG, Wright MJ, Robinson SE, Robinson WA, Roop DR, Norris DA, Birlea SA. Isolating RNA from precursor and mature melanocytes from human vitiligo and normal skin using laser capture microdissection. Exp Dermatol. 2016 Oct;25(10):805-11. PubMed PMID: 27193292
• Goldstein NB, Koster MI, Hoaglin LG, Spoelstra NS, Kechris KJ, Robinson SE, Robinson WA, Roop DR, Norris DA, Birlea SA. Narrow Band Ultraviolet B Treatment for Human Vitiligo Is Associated with Proliferation, Migration, and Differentiation of Melanocyte Precursors. J Invest Dermatol. 2015 Aug;135(8):2068-2076. PubMed PMID: 25822579
• Birlea SA, Ahmad FJ, Uddin RM, Ahmad S, Pal SS, Begum R, Laddha NC, Dwivedi M, Shoab Mansuri M, Jin Y, Gowan K, Riccardi SL, Holland PJ, Ben S, Fain PR, Spritz RA. Association of generalized vitiligo with MHC class II loci in patients from the Indian subcontinent. J Invest Dermatol. 2013 May;133(5):1369-72. PubMed PMID: 23303446
• Baldea I, Costin GE, Shellman Y, Kechris K, Olteanu ED, Filip A, Cosgarea MR, Norris DA, Birlea SA. Biphasic pro-melanogenic and pro-apoptotic effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) on human melanocytes: time-course study. J Dermatol Sci. 2013 Nov;72(2):168-76. PubMed PMID: 23867358
• White RA, Neiman JM, Reddi A, Han G, Birlea S, Mitra D, Dionne L, Fernandez P, Murao K, Bian L, Keysar SB, Goldstein NB, Song N, Bornstein S, Han Z, Lu X, Wisell J, Li F, Song J, Lu SL, Jimeno A, Roop DR, Wang XJ. Epithelial stem cell mutations that promote squamous cell carcinoma metastasis. J Clin Invest. 2013 Oct 1;123(10):4390-404. PubMed PMID: 23999427
• Costin GE, Birlea SA, Norris DA. Trends in wound repair: cellular and molecular basis of regenerative therapy using electromagnetic fields. Curr Mol Med. 2012 Jan;12(1):14-26. PubMed PMID: 22082478
• Jin Y, Birlea SA, Fain PR, et al. Common variants in FOXP1 are associated with GV. Nat Genet (2010) 42: 576-578.
• Birlea SA, Jin Y, Bennett DC, Herbstman DM, Wallace MR, McCormack WT, Kemp EH, Gawkrodger DJ, Weetman AP, Picardo M, Leone G, Taïeb A, Jouary T, Ezzedine K, van Geel N, Lambert J, Overbeck A, Fain PR, Spritz RA. Comprehensive association analysis of candidate genes for generalized vitiligo supports XBP1, FOXP3, and TSLP. J Invest Dermatol. 2011 Feb;131(2):371-81. PubMed PMID: 21085187
• Jin Y, Birlea SA, Fain PR, Gowan K, Riccardi SL, Holland PJ, Mailloux CM, Sufit AJ, Hutton SM, Amadi-Myers A, Bennett DC, Wallace MR, McCormack WT, Kemp EH, Gawkrodger DJ, Weetman AP, Picardo M, Leone G, Taïeb A, Jouary T, Ezzedine K, van Geel N, Lambert J, Overbeck A, Spritz RA. Variant of TYR and autoimmunity susceptibility loci in generalized vitiligo. N Engl J Med. 2010 May 6;362(18):1686-97. PubMed PMID: 20410501
• Birlea SA, Gowan K, Fain PR, Spritz RA. Genome-wide association study of generalized vitiligo in an isolated European founder population identifies SMOC2, in close proximity to IDDM8. J Invest Dermatol. 2010 Mar;130(3):798-803. PubMed PMID: 19890347
• Jin Y, Birlea SA, Fain PR, Mailloux CM, Riccardi SL, Gowan K, Holland PJ, Bennett DC, Wallace MR, McCormack WT, Kemp EH, Gawkrodger DJ, Weetman AP, Picardo M, Leone G, Taïeb A, Jouary T, Ezzedine K, van Geel N, Lambert J, Overbeck A, Spritz RA. Common variants in FOXP1 are associated with generalized vitiligo. Nat Genet. 2010 Jul;42(7):576-8. PubMed PMID: 20526340
• Baican A, Norris DA, Birlea SA. Recalcitrant Grysbovski's keratoacanthomas with good response to cimetidine. Am J Med. 2010 Apr;123(4):e9-10. PubMed PMID: 20362743
• Birlea S, Fain P, Spritz R. Genomewide Association Study of Generalized Vitiligo in a European Founder Population Identifies SMOC2, in the Vicinity of IDDM8. 59th Annual American Society of Human Genetics Meeting, Honolulu, USA,October 20-24,2009
• Birlea SA, Costin GE, Norris DA. New insights on therapy with vitamin D analogs targeting the intracellular pathways that control repigmentation in human vitiligo. Med Res Rev. 2009 May;29(3):514-46. PubMed PMID: 19241402
• Birlea SA, Laberge GS, Procopciuc LM, Fain PR, Spritz RA. CTLA4 and generalized vitiligo: two genetic association studies and a meta-analysis of published data. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2009 Apr;22(2):230-4. PubMed PMID: 19175525

Professional Memberships

• Society of Investigative Dermatology, Member
• International Demoscopy Society, Member