Food allergies have emerged as a major public health concern affecting 1 in 10 Australian infants. Hospitals waiting times are in excess of 12-months for specialist services. Recent changes in the environment are driving up rates of food allergy but the mechanisms are unclear. Epigenetics is the science of how the environment influences gene behaviour. This fellowship will address the important and urgent question of how modern environments are changing our genes, leading to food allergy.
The Relationship Between Maternal And Infant Dietary Intake Of Fermentable Fibre, Gut Microbiota, Short Chain Fatty Acids And Allergic Disease And Asthma: A Population-derived Birth Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$871,700.00
Summary
The proposed study will involve the Barwon Infant Study (BIS) cohort of 1074 infants to provide the first systematic investigation of the hypotheses that the epidemic of allergic disease and asthma in many parts of the world relates to the paucity of fermentable fibre in the modern diet, and that the protective effect of fermentable fibre is mediated by changes in the organisms that colonise the gut and the metabolites that they produce.
I am a paediatric allergist and immunologist investigating pathways involved in normal immune development and how these differs in infants who develop allergic disease.
A Population-based Longitudinal Assessment Of Early Life Vitamin D And Risk Of Food Allergy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$466,086.00
Summary
There has been a dramatic and unexplained increase in food allergy over recent decades. The increase in food allergy may relate to a concordant increase in early vitamin D insufficiency, however this hypothesis has never been directly tested. This project will use existing/funded samples from two NHMRC funded studies to conduct a detailed investigation of (i) the determinant and predictors of early life vitamin D insufficiency; and (ii) the association of vitamin D insufficiency and food allergy ....There has been a dramatic and unexplained increase in food allergy over recent decades. The increase in food allergy may relate to a concordant increase in early vitamin D insufficiency, however this hypothesis has never been directly tested. This project will use existing/funded samples from two NHMRC funded studies to conduct a detailed investigation of (i) the determinant and predictors of early life vitamin D insufficiency; and (ii) the association of vitamin D insufficiency and food allergy.Read moreRead less
A Population-based Cohort Investigation Of Postnatal Microbial Experience, Immune Programming And Allergic Disease Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,511,471.00
Summary
This is a population-based longitudinal investigation of the early life host-environment interactions that influence development of the immune system, and the risk of allergic disease. Importantly, this is one of the first studies designed to examine epigenetic programming of the infant immune system in the population setting. Thus we will be able to conduct robust tests of several critical hypotheses that will inform the prevention of allergic disease.
Ontogeny Of Toll (TLR) Function In Normal And Allergic Children: The Impact Of Microbial-rich Environments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,489.00
Summary
Reduced exposure to bacteria during early life has become a leading candidate to explain the escalating rate of allergic disease. Despite this, the development and maturation of the pathways involved in normal recognition of bacteria in children has not been explored. In this proposal we set out to address this critical shortcoming in both normal and allergic children. Mapping normal maturation of such pathways will help us to identify better early markers of allergic disease.
Designing new generation adjuvants for allergy and parasite vaccines. Allergy vaccines have the potential to provide a permanent cure against many allergic diseases, currently affecting 20-30 per cent of people in developed countries. This project will study how allergy vaccines work and how we can improve their effectiveness and safety.
Modified Peanut Allergen Combined With A Novel Dietary Adjuvant As A Cure For Peanut Allergy: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,130,021.00
Summary
Peanut allergy is common and there is no cure. Current studies of peanut immunotherapy have shown the effects are not generally long lasting with many side effects. We plan to study a novel form of oral peanut immunotherapy using modified peanut and a dietary fibre (modified starch) supplement. We have evidence that modified peanut may work to desensitise patients with less side effects and that the diet supplement protects animals from developing food allergy.
The Ontogeny Of TLR Mediated Innate Immune Function In Normal And Atopic Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$463,328.00
Summary
Bacteria are first recognised by the immune system though primitive innate immune pathways which are highly conserved through evolution. The activation of these pathways is critical for the maturation of the immune system. This may explain the rise in immune diseases with cleaner environments (and less innate immune activation). We speculate that functional differences (as a result of environmental or genetic factors) are implicated in the rising rates of allergic disease. This is the first stud ....Bacteria are first recognised by the immune system though primitive innate immune pathways which are highly conserved through evolution. The activation of these pathways is critical for the maturation of the immune system. This may explain the rise in immune diseases with cleaner environments (and less innate immune activation). We speculate that functional differences (as a result of environmental or genetic factors) are implicated in the rising rates of allergic disease. This is the first study to document normal maturation of these innate pathways in early childhood, and to compare this in allergic and nonallergic children. We will do this using existing samples collected as part of previous cohort studies. This study is the logical next step in the quest to define allergy pathogenesis. Whatever the outcome, the findings will be of enormous significance. A better understanding of the development of these pathways is also likely to contribute to more avenues for better-targeted treatment and prevention.Read moreRead less