9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

8th Annual BRAIN Meeting Welcome and Plenary Introduction
Dr. John Ngai

Plenary: Peripheral Neuroimmune Interactions Drive Itch and Inflammation
Dr. Diana Bautista
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley

Atopic dermatitis is a prevalent chronic itch disorder that affects ~15% of children worldwide, half of whom go on to develop food allergies, allergic rhinitis and asthma. Aberrant activity of epithelial cells, neurons and immune cells is a hallmark of this so-called atopic march. This talk will highlight our recent efforts to decipher the neuroimmune interactions that drive the development of neuronal hyperexcitability, itch and airway inflammation in atopic disease.