Derm on Drugs is a podcast where some current and former U of Pitt faculty talk about dermatology. Here is an episode where I joined to talk about itch and scratching. It was a really fun time and they did a great job. #dermatology #immunology #eczema podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...

To Scratch or Not to Scratch, That Is the Question

Podcast Episode · Derms on Drugs · 03/14/2025 · 36m

podcasts.apple.com

I was scheduled for study section starting tomorrow. Everything's all done and ready to go. Just heard it's being "rescheduled." No reason given.

Why scratching makes a rash worse and a potential benefit to scratching--it reduced S. aureus on skin. Andrew Liu's paper from our lab is out now at #science #neuroimmune #immunology www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Scratching promotes allergic inflammation and host defense via neurogenic mast cell activation

Itch is a dominant symptom in dermatitis, and scratching promotes cutaneous inflammation, thereby worsening disease. However, the mechanisms through which scratching exacerbates inflammation and wheth...

science.org

New paper from Kaplan Lab. Agonizing a specific glutamate receptor on mast cells in the skin renders them less function and can suppress several models of skin inflammation. Congrats to Youran Zhang and all co-authors. #skinimmunology #immunology #mastcells www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Agonism of the glutamate receptor GluK2 suppresses dermal mast cell activation and cutaneous inflammation

Small-molecule agonism of GluK2 reduces dermal mast cell responses to MrgprB2 ligation and suppresses skin inflammation.

science.org