Read more …December 2024

September 2024: 

It is 10 years since the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) started awarding research grants. AIFA has awarded over $790,000 in grants to support 40 research projects.

The Chair of AIFA, Dr Melanie Wong, announced the recipients of the AIFA grants for 2024 at the ASCIA Conference Gala Dinner in Adelaide on 5th September 2024.

	AIFA Professor Ann Kupa Food Allergy Research Grant of $20,000 was awarded to Dr Jacqueline Loprete at St Vincent's Hospital, NSW, for “Rapid Omalizumab and Peanut Immunotherapy in Adults with Peanut Allergy: OPAL 2”. Read more…
	AIFA DBV Technologies Food Allergy Research Grant of $15,000 was awarded to Dr Tim Brettig at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), for “The safety and acceptability of a low dose multi-nut oral immunotherapy randomized controlled trial in young children (LMNOP Pilot study)”. Read more…
AIFA Early Career and New Researcher Grants (Allergy) of $10,000 were awarded to:
	Ms Kayla Parker, MCRI, for “Early life tree nut IgE sensitisation patterns among infants with peanut allergy and the tolerability of tree nut ingestion”.  Read more…
	Dr Shaymaviswanathan Karnaneedi, James Cook University, for “Identification of relevant allergens in alternative food proteins from insects utilizing in vitro and in vivo diagnostic approaches”. Read more…
AIFA Early Career and New Researcher Grants (Autoimmunity/Inborn Errors of Immunity) of $10,000 were awarded to:
	Dr Etienne Masle-Farquhar, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, for “Revealing the B cell-intrinsic effects of pathogenic KMT2D mutations in Kabuki syndrome (KS) and Cold Agglutinin Disease (CAD)”. Read more…
	Dr Isabelle Bosi, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Children’s Hospital Westmead, for “Screening for genetic immune disorders using newborn genetic testing”. Read more…

Congratulations to all the successful Chief Investigators and their teams.

Thank you to our donors and sponsors for making it possible for AIFA to fund a total of $75,000 in research grants for 2024. Thank you also to our expert grant selection panel of clinical immunology/allergy specialists who volunteer their time to review the applications.

We have come a long way since 2014 and invite you to be a part of building the future of immunology and allergy research in Australia and New Zealand. Help us to achieve our goal of awarding a total of more than $1 million in grants by 2026.

Donate or sponsor a named grant at https://www.allergyimmunology.org.au/donate

June 2024: 

As the 30th June 2024 and the end of the financial year approaches, we appeal to you to support new and emerging allergy and immunology researchers with a tax-deductible donation to the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA).

Donate now at www.allergyimmunology.org.au/donate

Every dollar that you donate goes directly to funding research projects, not to advertising, administration, or fundraising campaigns.

Read about the research projects supported by AIFA grants from 2014 to 2023 here

Research projects awarded funding in 2023 included:

The RiskED study

Chronic diseases involving strict dietary adherence have been associated with an increased risk of eating disorders (EDs). A recent systematic review suggested that eating disorders may be more prevalent in individuals with food allergy compared to those without. Eating disorders have an increased risk of premature mortality, a high personal and economic burden and lengthy delays in diagnosis and treatment. However, research is limited exploring risk factors for eating disorders in those living with food allergy. This project aims to identify predictive as well as modifiable factors that increase the risk of eating disorders in individuals with food allergy. This will be the first survey of its kind and will provide valuable insights into factors that can help identify individuals at a higher risk of eating disorders. Learn more...

Improving the survival and clinical outcomes of patients with IFNAR1 deficiency in Oceania

Effective communication is crucial for our immune system to function normally. When a virus invades our body, our immune cells have to be able to receive warning signals communicated from other cells, so that they can respond promptly and efficiently to protect our body. When communication is disrupted, a person can get life-threatening or fatal viral infections. A genetic form of such communication disruption, affecting a crucial receptor of warning signals, is called IFNAR1 deficiency.

Although extremely rare globally, Dr Hsiao's team has found IFNAR1 deficiency to occur more commonly in the Pacific region. To date, doctors and nurses in New Zealand and Australia have diagnosed and looked after a small number of children affected by this rare condition. Despite the best medical care, 60% of these children affected by viral infection with excessive inflammation died.

It is hoped that this project will ultimately lead to improved chances of survival for children who have IFNAR1 deficiency in the Oceanian region. Learn more... 

AIFA is the only charity that specifically funds allergy and immunology research in Australia and New Zealand. AIFA funds research projects that aim to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatments for allergies, immunodeficiencies and other immune diseases. 

March 2024:

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are invited from ASCIA members for AIFA research grants.

EOIs are due by midnight on 14th May 2024 and the application form is on the AIFA website www.allergyimmunology.org.au/grants

This year a total of $110,000 will be awarded, comprised of 8 grants that are listed below.

Allergy and Immunology Research

$40,000 AIFA Early Career and New Researcher Grants (4 x $10,000 available)

These grants encourage new research projects which do not yet have major funding. It is important that Early Career and New Researchers are supported to establish track records that will increase their chance of securing future research funding. These include early career scientist researchers, emerging clinician researchers (such as advanced allergy/immunology trainees), and other health professionals (such as dietitians, nurses, pharmacists).

Food Allergy Research Grants

$20,000 AIFA Prof Ann Kupa Food Allergy Grant

$15,000 AIFA DBV Technologies Food Allergy Grant

New AIFA Viatris Grant for Nurses

$20,000 AIFA Viatris Nurse Researcher of the Year

We are delighted to announce this new grant, which will be awarded to a late-stage nurse researcher to facilitate presentation of their completed, or soon to be completed, research at an appropriate international or national conference of their choosing.

Primary Immunodeficiency Research Grant

$15,000 AIFA CSL Behring HAE Clinical Research Grant

AIFA grants awarded in 2024 will be announced in September at the ASCIA 2024 Conference in Adelaide.

Thank you to new and long term supporters of AIFA research grants. Your generous support has contributed to the progress of clinical allergy and immunology research in Australia and New Zealand.

By 2026 AIFA aims to award a cumulative total of $1 million in research grants, selected by experts, for clinically important research into allergy and other immune diseases. Help us achieve this goal by donating at www.allergyimmunology.org.au/donate

December 2023: 

Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) grants give teams of researchers the opportunity to progress their original ideas to find out more about immune system disorders. This work leads to improved diagnosis and treatment of allergic, immunodeficiency and autoimmune diseases.

Thank you to our generous donors and sponsors, who provide support for allergy and immunology research through AIFA grants, selected via a competitive process of review by experts in the field.

We wish to thank community fundraiser Lindy Kennedy in regional Victoria. Lindy has an autoimmune disease called scleroderma.  Autoimmune diseases are a broad range of more than eighty related disorders, ranging from common to very rare. They affect around 5% of people and are an important health issue in Australia and New Zealand. https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/autoimmunity

Lindy organised an event to raise awareness at the Rotary Club of Bairnsdale Sunrise and a clinical immunology/allergy specialist was available to answer questions on autoimmune disease. This was followed by a highly successful fundraiser. It is admirable to see such positive action, and the donation from her community will go to directly to an AIFA research grant in 2024.

If you have an idea for an event, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  and we will work with you to make it a reality.

It is important that Early Career Clinician Researchers are supported to establish track records that will increase their chance of obtaining future research funding. This year an AIFA Early Career Research Grant was awarded to Dr Adrian Lee of the Westmead Institute for Medical Research for work on autoimmune disease. His team’s findings are expected to help clinicians better diagnose and monitor patients with autoimmune diseases like lupus and Sjögren’s. Read more here

Thank you to the members of the AIFA Grant Selection Panel who donate their time and expertise to assessing the many expressions of interest and applications for AIFA grants. The panel is mindful of what ideas will translate to real clinical benefits for patients, as well as creating pathways for success for early career researchers.

Help us to get these ideas off the ground. Your donation is a legacy which will help people living with allergy, immunodeficiency, and other immune system disorders.

Donate here to take action on immune disease.

With our best wishes for 2024,