Advances in Understanding of Itch: A Conversation with Brian S Kim, MD, MTR, at the 2025 AAD Meeting
Brian S Kim, MD, a leading investigator in the study of itch physiology, discusses the marked progress made in understanding the sensation and targeting its treatment.
The recent approval of the interleukin (IL )-31 inhibitor nemolizumab for treatment of atopic dermatitis represents a "remarkable feat" in the progress the field of dermatology has made in understanding the pathophysiology of itch, according to Brian Kim, MD, an internationally renowned researcher in the study of itch. Kim made the observation during an interview with Patient Care Online onsite at the 2025 American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting, March 7-11, in Orlando, FL.
IL-31 is a novel cytokine involved primarily in Th2-weighted inflammation. The cytokine's role in maintenance of inflammation, immune response modulation, and cell differentiation are all recently identified effects of IL-31. Additional research of these effects could help fill even more gaps in current understanding of the physiology of itch, a notion Kim expressed during his presentation in the 2025 AAD session titled Chronic Pruritis: Bedside to Bench Perspectives, and cites in the short video interview above.
Kim is vice chair of research and site chair of Morningside and Mount Sinai West, in the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology. He is also director of the Mark Lebwohl Center for Neuroinflammation and Sensation and lead of the Allen Discovery Center for Neuroimmune Interactions at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Kim holds joint appointments in Dermatology, the Marc and Jennifer Lipschultz Precision Immunology Institute, and the Friedman Brain Institute.
Kim's research is focused on understanding the regulatory mechanisms that control neuroimmune interactions at the skin and other organs. His research examines how immune responses interface with the sensory nervous system to regulate inflammation, sensation, and immunity.
