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A £3.3 million grant boosts hopes for a new approach to the treatment and prevention of the debilitating condition, as Steve Titmarsh explains…

Eczema sufferers may be able to look forward to a different approach to their disease following a £3.3 million grant to a team led by the University of Exeter for research into how fungi living on the skin can trigger the development of eczema.^1,2

The award from the Medical Research Council (MRC) will fund a five-year research programme by experts in immunology, fungal biology and dermatology from the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM) at the University of Exeter and St John’s Institute of Dermatology at King’s College London.

In people with eczema the skin becomes sensitised and easily irritated by substances that are usually harmless. For example, in eczema the immune system can mistakenly react to Malassezia, a group of fungi, contributing to inflammation, making symptoms worse.^1,2

The research will have three aims:^1,2

• Understand how the body normally keeps Malassezia in check.

• Identify what changes in the fungus or the immune system may lead to allergic reactions directed against Malassezia in eczema.

• Investigate whether adjusting the skin’s fungal community could help improve treatment, especially in hard-to-treat eczema cases.

Professor Neil Gow, project co-lead and Professor of Microbiology at MRC CMM, University of Exeter, said: ‘We expect that the results from our research will facilitate new therapeutic options for patients with severe forms of eczema, for which current treatments are often ineffective.’^1,2

By studying fungal samples from eczema patients and using experimental models, the team hopes to uncover new ways to treat or even prevent eczema by focusing on the fungus-host relationship.

This could lead to more personalised, effective treatments and better outcomes for people living with this challenging skin condition.^1,2

Trigger factors

A range of factors can make eczema worse or cause a flare-up, including:³

• Irritants such as soaps, detergents and other chemicals, heat, dust, woollen clothing, and pets.

• Bacterial or viral infection.

• Dry skin.

• Teething in babies.

• Stress

• Weather conditions – extremes of temperature

• Rarely, food allergens.

Avoiding triggers known to make eczema worse can help reduce the risk of flare-ups. Also keeping skin moisturised with correct and regular use of emollients,⁴ and possibly using a humidifier if indoor air is particularly dry may help.

Otherwise people with eczema should ensure they have enough rest, keep hydrated and follow a balanced diet to help skin stay healthy and reduce the risk of flare-ups.⁵

Be in the know

Paula Higginson, head of learning development at the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE), told Independent Community Pharmacist: ‘I’d recommend a multi-layered approach to support community pharmacy teams in building confidence and capability around dermatological conditions and their treatment.

‘Community pharmacies are one of the most accessible healthcare settings, often open longer hours and without the need for appointments, which puts them in a strong position to support people with common skin conditions like eczema.

‘There’s growing potential for community pharmacy to play a wider role in dermatology, particularly through initiatives like the prescribing pathfinders, which are exploring how independent prescribing can be used to expand access to care.

‘As part of this, we also need to consider workforce development across the whole pharmacy team, including pharmacy technicians, to support skill mix, effective triage, and safe delegation of care where appropriate.’

Ms Higginson added: ‘At CPPE, we’ve developed several resources designed to help pharmacy professionals meet this need. Our Common Clinical Conditions programme is a great place to start: it's practical, relevant and includes real-world scenarios to build skills in consultation, clinical decision-making and management of minor ailments, including skin conditions.

‘The eczema section specifically focuses on assessing the severity of eczema, understanding triggers, providing effective self-care advice, and making decisions around appropriate treatment and referral.

‘The programme is designed to be flexible, so learners can focus on the sections that match their individual learning needs. More details are available on the CPPE website.^6,7

‘For those looking to build broader clinical knowledge and confidence to support service delivery in community pharmacy, CPPE’s Dermatology learning gateway provides quick access to a wide range of curated learning resources.

‘These include clinical tools and guidance on common skin conditions, such as eczema, as well as links to national guidelines and frameworks to support decision making. We’ve also developed a dedicated e-learning programme, Dermatology: an introduction to managing common skin conditions,⁸ which offers practical insight into diagnosis, treatment options, patient-centred care, and when to refer.

‘These resources are designed to support pharmacy professionals in delivering safe, person-centred care as part of an evolving clinical role.

‘To complement CPPE’s learning, the Dermatology portfolio on e-Learning for Healthcare developed by the British Association of Dermatologists offers a valuable extension to clinical learning.

‘This includes a number of in-depth, eczema-focused modules alongside wider dermatology content, making it a useful resource for pharmacy professionals looking to strengthen their understanding of skin conditions in practice.’⁹

Ms Higginson concluded: ‘By drawing on these learning opportunities and applying them in practice, pharmacy teams can play a significant role in supporting people with skin conditions helping to improve outcomes, reduce pressure on other parts of the system, and contribute to the wider ambitions for integrated, accessible care in the community.’

Barbara Mason, director of education at the British Association of Dermatologists, told ICP: ‘Pharmacists are often the first point of contact for patients when it comes to skin conditions, so information is key in order to be able to help their clients.

‘Pharmacy staff should be ready to answer questions about how long skin conditions may take to improve, whether they are likely to go away completely, what to do if symptoms persist or worsen with the suggested treatments, and where to seek help.

‘We would like to see pharmacists receive essential education in dermatological care to feel confident about skin examinations, where appropriate, and managing common conditions, such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, and different types of skin infections.

‘Our British College of Dermatology offers a complete six-part online training programme for pharmacists, which covers all the above areas and more. Our programme, found on the BCD Education Hub,¹⁰ is image-rich, aids recognition of conditions in skin of colour, and is self-paced, accessible learning.’

References 

1. University of Exeter. Exeter secures £3.3 million grant to investigate treatment and prevention of eczema (https://news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-health-and-life-sciences/exeter-secures-3-3-million-grant-to-investigate-treatment-and-prevention-of-eczema; accessed August 2025)

2. King’s College London. £3.3m awarded to investigate role of fungi in eczema (www.kcl.ac.uk/news/3.3m-awarded-to-investigate-role-of-fungi-in-eczema; accessed August 2025)

3. British Association for Dermatology. Atopic eczema (www.bad.org.uk/pils/atopic-eczema; accessed August 2025).

4. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Clinical Knowledge Summaries. Scenario: Mild eczema (https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/eczema-atopic/management/mild-eczema; accessed August 2025).

5. National Eczema Society. Living with eczema – flare-ups (https://eczema.org/information-and-advice/living-with-eczema/flare-ups; accessed August 2025).

6. Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education. Learning program and assessments: Common clinical conditions (www.cppe.ac.uk/programmes/l/nhsphfrst-e-07; accessed August 2025).

7. Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education. CPPE launches Common clinical conditions e-learning programme (www.cppe.ac.uk/news/a/996/cppe%20common%20clinical%20conditions%20e-learning; accessed August 2025).

8. Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education. Dermatology: An introduction to managing common skin conditions e-learning programme live (www.cppe.ac.uk/news/a/985/cppe-launches-dermatology-an-introduction-to-managing-common-skin-conditions-elearning-programme; accessed August 2025).

9. NHS England. e-dermatology (www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/dermatology; accessed August 2025).

10. British College of Dermatology. Complete pharmacy series (https://learning.bcd.org.uk/my/?categoryid=7; accessed August 2025).