Alopecia UK’s core mission is to provide support, community, and education to improve the lives of those affected by alopecia. Since 2018, we have also invested over half a million pounds into research projects focused on the priorities for alopecia research.

In our previous strategy phase, we had more funding for research because a generous benefactor left a substantial sum of money in their will to Alopecia UK, restricted for alopecia areata research. This legacy donation allowed us to invest in several larger research projects, including three PhD bursaries, which are training new investigators in alopecia research.

Our new research strategy for 2026-2028 will support our overall strategy, through the pillars of Championing Research and Empowering Choice, and lines up with its goals of improving our support model and increasing our reach. 

Championing Research

We will place people affected by alopecia at the heart of research. They are ‘experts by experience’ and we will enable them to work together directly with researchers. This means both groups can learn from each other and it helps make sure that research:

• focuses on the things that matter most to people affected by alopecia
• is done in ways that are sensitive to the needs and preferences of people affected by alopecia
• is communicated clearly and in easy-to-understand language

We will support researchers to involve people with lived experience in their work, helping them to find ways to improve the lives of people affected by alopecia. This includes studying the psychological impacts of alopecia, and how best to support people affected, plus research which aims to understand causes and find new treatment options.

Empowering Choice

We know how important it is to have good information about alopecia that you can trust. We will provide information and education based on evidence, and use research to inform our support model. We will also share regular updates on research developments, and new policy or clinical information which may affect care and support for alopecia. In this way, we will empower people to take charge of their healthcare with confidence and clarity.

Increasing our reach

People from global majority ethnic backgrounds are at higher risk of developing certain types of hair loss. They also face additional challenges in accessing healthcare and are often underrepresented in research. By increasing our organisation’s own reach and strengthening our support for all people affected by alopecia, we hope to act as a broader bridge between patients, communities and researchers. This will help ensure that research priorities and activities better reflect the issues that matter to those who may not have had a voice in research in the past. 

Research funding

During this strategic phase, we will spend the remaining funds for research. Details and eligibility requirements for each funding round will be shared via the 'For Researchers' section of our website, and through email and our public social media. Beyond the current funding, we will not actively pursue further funds to fund research. However, if further funding for research comes our way, we will take advantage of the opportunity.

We will continue to monitor and support projects that have previously received funding from Alopecia UK, to help them achieve the maximum possible benefit. We will also share the results of funded projects with our community in accessible language.

View our Research Strategy for 2026-2028 in full: 

Alopecia UK Research Strategy 2026-28