Ever wondered what happens when microscopic bubbles become bacterial bouncers? This week’s episode dives into the high-powered, real-world tech of DYNAJETS® hydrodynamic cavitation, a sci-fi-sounding disinfection system that uses bubble collapse to obliterate bacteria—including some of the toughest, like Cutibacterium acnes.

Join MD/PhD student and cartoon creator Steven Christian as he unpacks the paper “Disinfection of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria using DYNAJETS hydrodynamic cavitating jets” from Ultrasonics Sonochemistry. It's a splashy deep dive into:

• 🧪 Why gram-positive bacteria like C. acnes are harder to kill
  

• 💣 How popping bubbles generate forces strong enough to rupture microbial walls
  

• 💡 Why energy-efficient disinfection tech could revolutionize skin care and water treatment
  

• 🧬 And how all of this maps directly to the world of Cütie Catcherz, from Biofilm Fortresses to Buster Gel strategies!
  

💭 Whether you’re a science buff, skincare nerd, or a Cütie Catcherz fan, this episode connects microbiology to magical metaphors—and gives you a powerful lens for seeing why “brute force” isn’t always the best solution.

📚 Citation: Loraine et al., Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 2012 🔗 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultsonch.2011.10.011

🎧 Subscribe to Cütie Catcherz: Beneath the Skin for weekly lore drops where science meets soul and facts get their fantasy glow-up. 🌐 cutiecatcherz.com | 📱 IG: @cutiecatcherz

From Acne to Harmony: GRHL3, Skin Resilience & the Secret Science Behind Cütie Catcherz

Description What if your skin had a built-in peacekeeper? This episode dives into a wild, fascinating study that explains why acne often clears up on its own—while its meaner cousin, hidradenitis suppurativa, tends to stick around. And yes, it connects directly to the microbial mischief in Cütie Catcherz 🦠✨

Join MD/PhD student and creative force Steven Christian as he unpacks the paper "Whole transcriptomic analysis of acne and hidradenitis suppurativa reveals common inflammatory but distinct tolerance-inducing mechanisms" from the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. It’s a molecular deep dive that reveals:

• 🧠 Why acne and HS look similar but behave so differently
  

• 🔍 The role of a magical-sounding protein called GRHL3 in spontaneous healing
  

• 🛡️ How inflammation is just one half of the battle—resolution is the real MVP
  

• 🎮 And how this maps directly to Iltopia’s Cütie Catcherz lore, from Nimbus’s arc to the true role of Base Cüties and the power of balance-driven tools like Serenity Mist
  

💡 Acne isn't just a surface issue—this episode will help you understand the inner healing switch your skin might already have.

📚 Citation: Dajnoki et al., J Invest Dermatol, 2023

🔗 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2023.03.920

🎧 Subscribe to Cütie Catcherz: Beneath the Skin for weekly lore drops where science meets story.

🌐 cutiecatcherz.com | 📱 IG: @cutiecatcherz

What happens when the real-world bacteria behind acne turns up in a prosthetic joint—and gets taken down with nothing but pills? That’s the wild, true tale we’re diving into today. 🦠💊

This episode breaks down the case report titled “Oral antibiotic regimen for Cutibacterium acnes prosthetic joint infection: a case report of successful treatment”, published in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. It tells the story of a stubborn post-surgical infection—caused by the same bacteria behind our Cütie Catcherz—and how doctors defeated it using just an oral antibiotic combo. No IVs. No drama. Just science.

I'm Steven Christian, MD/PhD student and creator of Cütie Catcherz, and today we’re connecting the dots between:

• 🧠 How C. acnes creates biofilm fortresses IRL
  

• 🔬 Why diagnosis can be tricky and delayed
  

• 💊 How a simple oral med combo (rifampin + amoxicillin) brought down the infection
  

• 🎮 How this all maps onto the Iltopian world of Cütie Catcherz—think King Cootie, Biofilm Hives, and targeted tools like Phage Darts and Serenity Mist.
  

💡 This case validates the science behind our worldbuilding and adds a real-world example to back up the power of precision care and microbiome balance.

📚 Citation: Nguyen et al., Am J Med Sci, 2025

🔗 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9629(25)00868-7

🎧 Subscribe to Cütie Catcherz: Beneath the Skin for weekly drops blending science, soul, and story. 🌐 cutiecatcherz.com | 📱 IG: @cutiecatcherz

 What if the same bacteria causing acne could help fight cancer? 🦠✨ In this mind-bending episode, we dive into a real study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology titled “Melanoma cell survival is suppressed by splenocytes stimulated by Cutibacterium acnes.” Yep, you read that right—our so-called skin troublemaker might just have a secret hero arc.

I’m Steven Christian, your friendly neighborhood MD/PhD student and creator of Cütie Catcherz, the AR-powered comic that turns microbiology into magical storytelling. And today, we’re cracking open the science behind how C. acnes might trigger an immune response that helps kill melanoma cells. 🧬🧠💥

Tune in for:

• How C. acnes–stimulated immune cells attacked melanoma cells in the lab
  

• Why our skin bacteria might not be villains after all
  

• What this means for immunity, inflammation, and yes, the world of Cütie Catcherz
  

• How science inspires deeper, more empathetic storytelling about our bodies
  

💡 This isn’t just microbiome 101. It’s the blueprint for how "bad guys" in biology might wear hidden capes.

📚 Citation: Matsushima et al., J Invest Dermatol, 2019

🔗 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2019.03.559

🎧 Subscribe to Cütie Catcherz: Beneath the Skin

🌐 Visit cutiecatcherz.com for more episodes, comics, and health storytelling magic

📱 Follow @cutiecatcherz for behind-the-scenes worldbuilding and research drops

Ever wonder how a simple skincare gel rewrites the whole microbial script on your face? In this episode, we break down a 2024 study from the Journal of Dermatologic Science and Cosmetic Technology that explores how 15% azelaic acid gel doesn’t just fight acne—it reshapes the skin microbiome! 🧬✨

I’m Steven Christian—your friendly neighborhood MD/PhD student, medical illustrator, and creator of Cütie Catcherz, an augmented reality comic where battling acne gets turned into a magical adventure full of metaphor, monsters, and microbiome mayhem.

This episode uncovers:

• How acne-prone skin has microbial imbalance (aka Cütie Clouds)
  

• Why azelaic acid boosts good bacteria like Lactobacillus while dialing down troublemakers
  

• The real-life science behind Cütie Catcherz tools like “Probiotic Pods” and “Serenity Mist”
  

• Why balance—not brute force—is the secret to healthy skin
  

This isn’t just about zapping zits. It’s about healing ecosystems, inside and out.

🎧 Stream “Cütie Catcherz: Beneath the Skin” 📱 Follow @cutiecatcherz 🌐 More at cutiecatcherz.com

📚 Citation: Yu et al., J Dermatol Sci & Cosmetic Tech, 2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdsct.2024.100041

Get ready to dive deep into the sticky science behind acne! In this episode, we explore the 2023 study “Characteristics of Biofilm-Forming Ability and Antibiotic Resistance of Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis from Acne Vulgaris Patients”—a mouthful, but trust us, it’s juicy. 🧪✨

I'm Steven Christian—your friendly neighborhood MD/PhD student and creator of Cütie Catcherz, an augmented reality comic that turns acne bacteria into metaphorical monsters and teaches health literacy through action-packed storytelling.

Together, we explore:

• What biofilms actually are (spoiler: bacterial bunkers 🛡️)
  

• How some C. acnes and S. epidermidis strains shrug off antibiotics
  

• Why the real-life science lines up with our in-story “Cütie Fortresses” and villain King Cootie
  

• What this means for smarter, targeted acne care in underserved communities
  

This research grounds the Cütie Catcherz universe in fact—not fiction—and shows how powerful narrative + evidence-based science can be.

👾 Visit cutiecatcherz.com 📱 Follow @cutiecatcherz on Instagram 📚 Study citation: Ruchiatan et al., Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S422486 🎧 Listen to “Cütie Catcherz: Beneath the Skin” on Spotify & YouTube

Acne isn’t just about clogged pores and bacteria—your immune system is in on it too. I’m Steven Christian, your friendly neighborhood neuroscientist and creator of Cütie Catcherz, and today we’re breaking down the science behind inflammation, skin cells, and why your body might be accidentally helping acne bacteria throw a block party.

We’re diving into the paper “The Role of Skin Immune System in Acne”—and trust me, this stuff is wild. We’re talking immune alarms, biofilm bunkers, and the science behind every breakout. Then, we connect it all back to the comic chaos of Cütie Catcherz—where real skin science becomes an epic adventure.

🎯 Learn more at cutiecatcherz.com and follow @cutiecatcherz on IG.

🎙️ Citation: Firlej et al., 2022, Journal of Clinical Medicine https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11061579

What do blacklights, bacteria, and biofilm fortresses have in common? More than you think.

I’m Steven Christian—your friendly neighborhood neuroscientist, MD/PhD student, and creator of Cütie Catcherz, the animated AR comic turning skin science into storytelling. In this episode, we shine a light (literally) on the tool dermatologists should be using more often: Wood’s Light.

Based on the review article “Wood’s Light in Inflammatory and Autoimmune Dermatoses, Infections and Skin Cancer”, we explore how this glowing diagnostic gem helps identify infections, pigment changes, and even guide skin cancer treatment. Then we flip the script and show how that same science powers the glowing chaos of the Cütie Catcherz universe—where different Cüties light up under UV and diagnostic tools become weapons of balance.

✨ Learn more at cutiecatcherz.com and follow @cutiecatcherz

📚 Citation: Gomez-Martinez et al., 2025, Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ad.2024.12.006

Is acne just a bacteria problem? Not quite. It’s a microbial turf war—with factions, fortresses, and a secret plot twist.

I’m Steven Christian—MD/PhD student and creator of Cütie Catcherz, the comic series where microbiome science meets Saturday-morning-cartoon energy. In this episode, we break down the paper “Cutibacterium acnes and Acne Vulgaris: A Brief Look at the Latest Updates” by Dréno et al.

We explore how new science reveals acne isn't about more bacteria, but about the wrong kinds of bacteria in the wrong balance—especially the sneaky phylotype IA1. Then we flip it into fiction: how these discoveries directly inspired the world of Cütie Catcherz, from biofilm bunkers to precision skincare gadgets and strategy.

💥 Visit cutiecatcherz.com and follow @cutiecatcherz

📚 Citation: Dréno et al. (2018), Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15043

Grab your goggles—we’re diving into the detective work of skin microbiology! I’m Steven Christian, your friendly neighborhood neuroscientist and creator of Cütie Catcherz, and in this episode, we break down the study “Cutibacterium acnes molecular typing: time to standardize the method” by Dagnelie et al.

This isn’t just about zits. It’s about how different strains of C. acnes play very different roles—some cause chaos (like our villainous Cüties), others keep your skin in check. We explore how molecular typing helps scientists ID these strains, and how that inspired the diverse characters, strategies, and science-backed chaos of Cütie Catcherz.

🎯 Learn more at cutiecatcherz.com and follow @cutiecatcherz

📚 Citation: Dagnelie et al., 2018, Clinical Microbiology and Infection https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2018.03.010