- Postdoc, Yale University School of Medicine
- Residency in Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine
- M.D./Ph.D., Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Education & Training
1. Liu AW, Zhang YR, Chen C-S, Edwards TN, Ozyaman S, Ramcke T, McKendrick LM, Weiss ES, Gillis JE, Laughlin CR, Randhawa SK, Phelps CM, Kurihara K, Kang HM, Nguyen S-LN, Kim J, Sheahan TD, Ross SE, Meisel M, Sumpter TL, and Kaplan DH (2025). Scratching promotes allergic inflammation and host defense via neurogenic mast cell activation. Science. 387(6733)
2. Deng L, Gillis JE, Chiu IM, and Kaplan DH (2024). Sensory neurons: An integrated component of innate immunity. Immunity. 57(4): 815–831.
3. Zhang, Y.R., Keshari, S., Kurihara, K., Liu, J., McKendrick, LM., Chen, CS, Yang, Y, Falo LD, Das, J., Sumpter, T.L., Kaplan, D.H. (2024). Agonism of the glutamate receptor GluK2 suppresses dermal mast cell activation and cutaneous inflammation. Sci. Transl. Med. 16.
4. Zhang S, Edwards TN, Chaudhri VK, Wu J, Cohen JA, Hirai T, Rittenhouse N, Schmitz EG, Zhou PY, McNeil BD, Yang Y, Koerber HR, Sumpter TL, Poholek AC, Davis BM, Albers KM, Singh H, Kaplan DH. “Nonpeptidergic neurons suppress mast cells via glutamate to maintain skin homeostasis” Cell. 2021 Mar 18:S0092-8674(21)00287-7.
5. Cohen JA, Edwards TN, Liu AW, Hirai T, Jones MR, Wu J, Li Y, Zhang S, Ho J, Davis BM, Albers KM, Kaplan DH. Cutaneous TRPV1+ Neurons Trigger Protective Innate Type 17 Anticipatory Immunity. Cell. 2019 Aug 8;178(4):919-932.e14. PMID: 31353219
The laboratory is focused on understanding intracellular communication mechanisms between different types of cutaneous sensory neurons and local immune cells. Different types of pain- and itch-sensing neurons make specific contributions to the development of inflammation. The lab is currently working to define mechanisms through which neurons directly trigger or suppress the development of local inflammation and the specific contribution of behavioral responses such as scratching. Of particular interest are the functional role of dermal mast cells in integrating inflammatory neuroimmune signals. We have successfully developed therapeutics to treat skin disease based on our findings and are working to develop additional methods to translate our findings.