Eczema and asthma sufferers now have a new ray of hope as an international team of researchers led by experts from Dundee University have found the gene that causes dry skin and predisposes people to eczema and asthma. This is the gene which is responsible for producing a protein that makes skin waterproof and keeps out infections. The discovery could lead to new treatments for conditions that affect millions of people, and was welcomed by a range of charities concerned with skin conditions.