Category: News

Zhou-Feng Chen, PhD, director of the Center for the Study of Itch & Sensory Disorders at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, alongside his team, identified a neural circuit and a neuropeptide in mice — a chemical messenger that carries signals between nerve cells — that transmit the sensation known as pleasant touch from the skin to the brain.

A new mechanism involved in the sensation of itching has been found in mice.

The encoding of itch by peripheral and central neural circuits is a topic of long-standing interest in the somatosensory field. Here, Zhou-Feng Chen outlines a model for itch coding that emphasizes the role of neuropeptides in conveying itch information from the periphery to the spinal cord.

A team led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has identified, in mice, specific cells and proteins that control the sneeze reflex. Better understanding of what causes us to sneeze — specifically how neurons behave in response to allergens and viruses — may point to treatments capable of slowing the spread of infectious respiratory diseases.

The new exciting study reveals a novel pathway for acute allergic itch that is resistant to antihistamines, a debilitating condition associated with patients who already suffer from chronic itch such as atopic dermatitis.

A new study, from Dr. Zhou-Feng Chen’s team, reveals a novel neural circuit that converts innocuous light touch into an irritating itch sensation. Tac2 neurons receive light touch information and convey it to GRPR neurons, which convert it into irritating itch.

Using novel genetic tools, Dr. Zhou-Feng Chen’s team has demonstrated the role of GRP in nonhistaminergic itch in sensory neurons and GRP primary afferents are dedicated to the itch transmission.

Brian S. Kim, MD, has found that boosting the number of natural killer cells in the blood is a possible treatment strategy for the skin condition, eczema, and also may help with related health problems, such as asthma.

Congratulation to Dr. Hongzhen Hu!  A new study explains why getting old may make you itchy.  Read news Record, Science, Live Science, UPI, Science Alert, PainWeek, people.cn.

Dr. Zhou-Feng Chen’s team reveals why agonists targeting kappa opioid receptor can be used to treat chronic itch. Read news here.

Congratulations to Dr. Brian Kim’s team! Dr. Brian Kim, dermatologist, and Landon Oetjen, MD/PhD student, of the CSI discover highly promising new pathway for the treatment of chronic itch. Please read news Record, Daily Mail.

Dr. Zhou-Feng Chen’s team discovers why mice scratch in response to other mice scratching. Read news Record, St.Louis Public Radio, Independent, NBC, Daily Mail, The Guardian, Hoffington Post, Smithsonian, Express, Livescience, Inverse, Cell, 知识分子. Watch video here: Scientific American.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Drs. Zhou-Feng Chen and Lynn Cornelius, talk about chronic itch as an unmet need and the clinical implication of the discovery of an itch-specific receptor called GRPR. Read The New York Time article “Itching: more than deep-skin”.

Watch here

Congratulations! Dr. Zhoufeng Chen named Shelden Professor in Anesthesiology. Please read news here.

“What is an itch and how does scratching stop it? Why does scratching some itches feel so good?!” asks Xander Tarver from Wisborough Green in West Sussex. Our doctors set off to probe the mysteries of itch, and discover that this overlooked area of medicine is revealing surprising results about the human brain. From why itching […]

What’s the Itch? Dr. Brian Kim explains some reasons why you can’t get rid of the itch. Watch video here.

Dr. Brian Kim won the prestigious 2016 Clinical Scientist Development Award, according to The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s announcement.  He is one of the 17 exceptional physician scientists selected from 169 applicants by a panel of experts in medical experts. Congratulations to Dr. Brian Kim!  Please read DDCF award announcement here.