Jennifer Koplin is Group Leader of Childhood Allergy & Epidemiology at the Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland; Chief Investigator of the Australian Centre for Food Allergy Research (CFAR), a National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence; and Executive Committee/Pillar Lead for the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE). From 2019-22 she was a Group Leader of the Population Allergy Research Group and Director of CFAR at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

About her research

Jennifer Koplin’s research uses large-scale population-based studies to advance the understanding of childhood food allergy. These studies contribute to the development of novel prevention interventions and are helping to target emerging prevention and treatment strategies for the individuals who will benefit most from these interventions. Her innovative work with the EarlyNuts study evaluated the uptake and impact of early peanut introduction on peanut allergy, not only showing that population-level changes in infant feeding practices are possible, but also contributing to reshaping clinical and public health guidelines, and inspiring novel clinical trials internationally. 

Soriano VX, et al: Association Between Earlier Introduction of Peanut and Prevalence of Peanut Allergy in Infants in Australia. JAMA. 2022 Jul 5;328(1):48-56. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35788795/

Rachel Peters is an esteemed researcher who is Head of the Epidemiology Program within the Population Allergy Research Group at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Australia. She has dedicated her career to unravelling the complexities of childhood allergy.

Following the completion of her PhD in 2015 at the University of Melbourne, she was awarded an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship, propelling her into the realm of diagnostic and prognostic biomarker identification for food allergies and tolerance development. As Principal Investigator of the groundbreaking HealthNuts study, the world's largest longitudinal investigation into childhood food allergy and respiratory health, she oversees a cohort of 5,300 children who have been followed from infancy into adolescence. Additionally, she leads the first follow-up of the EarlyNuts study, which assesses the impact of changing infant guidelines for food allergy prevention on multiple health outcomes. She is also custodian of the SchoolNuts studies, that explores the prevalence and risk factors for food allergy in early adolescence. Together, these studies encompass over 17,000 participants.

Her remarkable contributions have earned her recognition as one of the top researchers in the field, evidenced by her extensive publication record, and ongoing commitment to advancing the understanding and management of childhood allergies.

About her research

Rachel Peters’ research aims to reduce the adverse consequences of infant food allergy – affecting up to 10% of children worldwide – on children’s future health. Through a pioneering study on the link between childhood food allergy and respiratory health, she uncovered that infants with food allergy, even if it resolves, present with lung function deficits and a higher risk of asthma by school age. These findings are sparking greater clinical vigilance regarding the monitoring of respiratory health of children with food allergies and will support clinicians worldwide in tailoring patient care.

Peters RL. Soriano VX, Lycett K, et al: Multiple food allergy phenotypes in infancy are associated with lung function deficits and asthma at 6 years of age: a prospective cohort study in Australia. The Lancet child & adolescent health 2023 Sep;7(9):636-647.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37506717/

Jenny Hallgren Martinsson is a distinguished Senior Lecturer in Immunology at Uppsala University (UU), Sweden, working in the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology. She has been a prominent figure in the field, fostering a dynamic environment of research and education. Since 2016, she has led the Department’s research efforts, focusing approximately 80% of her work on research and research education, with the remaining time dedicated to nurturing the next generation of scientists, teaching undergraduate students on various programs. She brings a wealth of experience, having previously held positions as a Researcher/Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor, each contributing to her expertise in the intricacies of Immunology.  

She completed her PhD in Medical Biochemistry at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), subsequently earning the distinction of Associate Professor in Immunology at UU. Her journey also includes augmenting post-doctoral experiences at esteemed institutions such as Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston. 
 

About her research

Jenny Hallgren Martinsson’s research interest is to determine the role of mast cells—immune cells responsible for immediate allergic reactions—in allergic asthma. Her recent cutting-edge study on birch pollen-sensitized asthma patients and mast cell biology suggests that mast cell progenitors may play a pathogenic role in allergic asthma, thus paving the way for the development of new biomarkers and treatment targets for asthma.

P Abigail Alvarado-Vazquez et al, Circulating mast cell progenitors increase during natural birch pollen exposure in allergic asthma patients Allergy. 2023 Nov;78(11):2959-2968. doi: 10.1111/all.15860. Epub 2023 Aug 24 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Alvarado-Vazquez+PA&cauthor_id=37615432

Luciana Kase Tanno is a medical doctor specializing in Allergy and Epidemiology. With a Ph.D. from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and post-doctoral experience at the University Hospital of Montpellier, France, she is renowned for her work in epidemiological research, particularly in analyzing large datasets to investigate anaphylaxis deaths.

Since 2015, Luciana Kase Tanno has dedicated her career to advancing public health through epidemiological research. Focused on allergy and hypersensitivity (A/H) conditions, she strives to improve preventive actions and interventions, ultimately helping to save lives and enhance public health outcomes.

Luciana Kase Tanno's commitment to leveraging epidemiology for the benefit of society underscores her passion for making impactful contributions to the field. With her expertise and dedication, she continues to drive progress in understanding and addressing allergic reactions, ensuring a healthier future for all.

About her research 

Luciana Kase Tanno dedicated her career to epidemiology research to support public health and preventive actions, more particularly focusing on hypersensitivity conditions such as anaphylaxis. Leveraging a detailed academic and evidence-based action plan, her work helped in reviewing the current International Classification of Diseases to provide greater visibility to allergic and hypersensitivity conditions. Her efforts and commitment will further ensure that patients may benefit from the best management strategy throughout the world.

Kase Tanno et al, Changing the history of anaphylaxis mortality statistics through the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases 11.” J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2019 Sep;144(3):627-633. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2019.05.013. Epub 2019 Jun 20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31229269/

Dorra Gharbi is a dedicated researcher specializing in Aerobiology, Environmental Health and Plant Biology. With a Ph.D. in Biological Diversity and Environmental Sciences from the University of Málaga, Spain, her expertise spans the analysis of pollen grains and fungal spores, their relationship with meteorological factors, and their impact on respiratory health. She has undertaken various roles during her career, including postdoctoral research fellowships and assistant researcher positions, focusing on aerobiological monitoring, statistical data analysis and scientific report preparation. 

During her tenure as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Unit of Allergology and Immunology Unit, Lung Institute, University of Cape Town, Dr. Gharbi managed the South African Pollen Network, wrote scientific reports, and prepared academic papers. Previously, she led projects at North-West University, South Africa, focusing on monitoring aerobiological stations and analyzing pollen and fungal spores. 

Her research interests also extended to Qatar, where she worked as an assistant researcher at Hamad General Hospital and as a scientific consultant at the Environmental Studies Center, Qatar University. Her doctoral thesis at the University of Málaga investigated airborne pollen types in the atmosphere, their correlation with meteorological parameters, and their implications for climate change. 

Overall, Dr. Gharbi’s research portfolio encompasses a broad spectrum of topics, including pollen monitoring, data analysis, phenology, and the emission and dispersion of bioaerosols. 

About her research 

Dorra Gharbi’s research focuses on aerobiology, air quality and environmental health. Her transdisciplinary work is enhancing our understanding of how climate, environmental exposures (aeroallergens) and intrinsic factors intersect to impact respiratory health outcomes. Her efforts to investigate a phenomenon in a specific setting “allergenic pollen-producing trees within the context of urban green infrastructure in South African cities”, to inform a wider inquiry regarding the health risk for the South African population, as well as the management thereof in a sustainable implementation framework. The outcome of this research opens the possibility of designing early warning systems to predict community-level surges in poor respiratory health outcomes and be able to provide allergy management plans to prevent allergic reactions.

Gharbi, D., Neumann, F.H., Cilliers, S. et al. Allergenic tree pollen in Johannesburg and Cape Town as a public health risk: towards a sustainable implementation framework for South African cities. Discov Sustain 4, 32 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-023-00151-9