The Food Allergy Science Initiative (FASI) has secured a research grant from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Allergy, and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
The new funding will support a multidisciplinary research program focused on the neuroimmunology of food allergies.
FASI will receive $2,339,268 in the first year and will receive the same amount from NIAID annually for five years, up to a maximum of $11.6m.
FASI CEO Carlos Bosques said: “This transformative P01 grant, coupled with additional philanthropic investment from FASI’s generous donors, catalyses a giant leap forward in our understanding of food allergies.
“With the unique expertise of this interdisciplinary team and our effective collaborative model, I’m confident that this work will open the doors to groundbreaking discoveries that will pave the way for the development of transformative therapeutics.”
FASI scientific founder Ruslan Medzhitov said: “It’s a tremendous honour to receive this grant from NIAID and to continue to collaborate with the amazing research teams at Harvard Medical School, Rockefeller University and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to unlock the neuroimmune pathways of food allergies.”
The grant will support research, led by program director Ruslan Medzhitov from Yale University Steven Liberles from Harvard Medical School, and Daniel Mucida from Rockefeller University.
The three researchers will jointly research fundamental mechanisms by which the nervous and immune systems interact to drive the development and progression of food allergies.
The collaboration will also integrate a Bioinformatics Core at Rockefeller University, led by Thomas Carroll and a Transgenic Animal Core led by Brad Lowell at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
FASI co-founder and executive chair Christine Olsen will serve as FASI PI on the research collaboration.
FASI co-founder and executive chair Christine Olsen said: “We’re excited that FASI’s cross-disciplinary team characterizing characterize the neuroimmune mechanisms underlying debilitating food allergy conditions is receiving this significant investment.
“The grant bolsters FASI’s collaborative research network and solidifies its leadership position in food allergy research.”
