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FAAN Partners With NIH to Stimulate Food Allergy Research

In our continuing effort to advance research in food allergies, FAAN has partnered with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, to fund a new program called Exploratory Investigations in Food Allergy.

Twelve grants totaling $5 million have been awarded to investigators who will lead high-impact, innovative studies of food allergy over the next two years. Research will explore factors that contribute to the development of food allergy, the relationship between food allergy and other immune system disorders, and the epidemiology and genetics of food allergy. An additional goal of this program is to encourage more investigators to move into the field of food allergy research.

The program is funded by NIAID, FAAN, and the Food Allergy Project. “This is one more example of FAAN’s collaborative spirit at work. We are thrilled to be partnering with others to advance science and research on food allergies,” said Anne Muñoz-Furlong, Founder and CEO of FAAN. “We are excited about the discoveries these new investigators will make on behalf of the millions of people with food allergy in the U.S. and around the world.”

“Little is known about why only some people develop food allergy, and finding answers to that fundamental question is one of the key objectives of this initiative,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “We anticipate that this program will spark new ideas and research in the field, and we look forward to seeing progress in research that ultimately ends the limitations that food allergy places on the lives of so many children and adults.”

For more on NIAID food allergy research, see http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/foodAllergy/default.htm.

About FAAN

Founded in 1991, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information, resources, and programs for food allergy, a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflicts as many as 15 million Americans, including almost 6 million children. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by it. FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. On May 9, 2012, FAAN announced its intent to merge with the other leading food allergy organization, the Food Allergy Initiative, pending state regulatory approval. To become a member or for more information, please visit FAAN at www.foodallergy.org.

Media Contact

Nancy Gregory
Media Relations
(703) 563-3066
E-mail: ngregory@foodallergy.org