Perelman Department of Dermatology at New York University School of Medicine (NYU). Dr. Ito performed her postdoctoral studies in the laboratory of Dr. George Cotsarelis in the University of Pennsylvania before joining the faculty at NYU, where her research program focuses on understanding stem cell regulations in cutaneous tissues including the hair follicle and the nail. Her research team identified signaling pathways that govern regenerative behaviors of melanocyte stem cells for hair pigmentation. Her group also demonstrated the role of hair follicle melanocyte stem cells to regenerate melanocytes of the skin epidermis. Her studies hold great promise to understand pigmentation problems including hair graying and vitiligo.