(April 18, 2001) - Congratulations to Karima Djabali, Ph.D. of Columbia University, as the 2001 recipient of F.I.R.S.T.’s research grant. Dr. Djabali’s project on The Genetics of Woolly Hair and Keratoderma (Naxos Disease)will focus on defining the genetic defect for this disease. Naxos Disease is a rare inherited disorder with features including woolly hair, thickened palms and soles (keratoderma) and associated with cardiomyopathy. The hair and skin manifestations lead to severe psychological and social disability, and the cardiac involvement may lead to sudden death at an early age. Two families have been identified with this disease in Israel and found characteristic hair findings. This information will aid in a clarifying the function of hair proteins and may lead to a better understanding of hair physiology and to the development of novel treatment approaches. You can look forward to hearing more about this project on our website and in our quarterly newsletter, Ichthyosis Focus.