Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research

09/25/2026

What an incredible time at Pediatrics Reimagined and A4M in Nashville! 💛 A4M

Dr. Ruchi Gupta was honored to share her expertise with her talk, “Interrupting the Atopic March: Evidence-Based Strategies to Prevent Allergic Disease Before It Starts,” and connect with so many amazing healthcare leaders.

We also loved celebrating her three books with a special book signing! 📚

A big thank you to Dr. Elisa Song and the A4M Team and to everyone who stopped by to connect, learn, and share in the conversation around allergy, skin, and whole-person health.

09/08/2026

Breaking down barriers in food allergy research!

CoFAR (Consortium for Food Allergy Research) has launched CoFAR FoodSpace, a brand-new digital platform designed to help researchers share protocols, study tools, and data seamlessly across institutions.

Food allergies affect millions of children and adults nationwide. By creating a unified space for scientific collaboration, CoFAR FoodSpace aims to speed up the discovery of new prevention strategies, diagnostics, and treatments.

Learn more and read the full press release: https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/news-stories/cofar-launches-cofar-foodspace-a-collaborative-digital-space-for-food-allergy-researchers/

Researchers at Lurie Children’s and CoFAR launch FoodSpace, a secure digital platform designed to advance collaboration and discovery in food allergy research. Read more.

09/05/2026

A nationwide epinephrine recall has been issued. Here's what to know and how to check if your medication is affected ⬇️

09/03/2026

Words matter, especially when it comes to kids living with food allergies. 💛

We’re proud to see Dr. Melissa Engel, a postdoctoral fellow on our CFAAR team, featured in Parents sharing important guidance on what not to say to children with food allergies and what we can say instead to help them feel supported, understood, and confident. Parents Melissa Engel

Food allergies can impact so much more than what’s on a child’s plate. The way we talk about food allergies can make a meaningful difference in helping children feel included, empowered, and safe.

Thank you, Dr. Engel, for helping bring greater awareness and understanding to the everyday experiences of children and families navigating food allergies. 🥜💛

Read the full Parents here: https://www.parents.com/what-not-to-say-to-kids-with-food-allergies-12066386

08/26/2026

Do you know a middle or high school student interested in science, health, or research? 📊🔬

Applications are now open for the CFAAR Science Sleuths Program, a three-month, self-guided virtual STEM initiative designed to empower young researchers.

Through this program, students explore the fundamentals of scientific inquiry by working alongside a mentor of their choice to conduct a real-world community research study on food allergy awareness.

Program Highlights:

✅Learn the Process: Walk through six interactive modules covering study design, research questions, and survey development.

✅Drive Local Impact: Facilitate a community conversation and use CFAAR-prepared materials to measure changes in food allergy knowledge through pre- and post-surveys.

✅Flexible & Virtual: Designed for self-paced learning, making it easy to fit into busy student schedules.

All curious middle and high school students with an enthusiasm for research are encouraged to apply. Tuition assistance is available.

Learn more on our website & apply today: https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/cfaar/community-outreach/cfaar-sleuths-program.html

08/18/2026

World Allergy Organization (WAO) recently shared their findings on the use and practice of (PAL) based on a Delphi study among an international group of food allergy experts. The Delphi method is a structured communication process that uses multiple rounds of surveys to identify areas of consensus among an expert panel. World Allergy Organization

The food allergy experts reached consensus on many aspects of a risk-based approach in such as the importance of the issue, how to improve the application of PAL, and other concerns addressed in 33 out of 35 statements. 70% agreed with the statement that some highly sensitive individuals may remain at from allergen levels too low to require a PAL. However, they did not reach consensus on the best way to communicate or manage this risk, highlighting an important area where further research and discussion are needed.

We are very thankful for CFAAR’s Dr. Ruchi Gupta’s role as a co-author and expert in this latest article from WAO about Precautionary Allergen Labelling. Dr. Ruchi Gupta

➡️Read the full publication here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1939455126002693

08/13/2026

08/12/2026

Leadership from CFAAR and the Illinois Head Start Association (IHSA) collaborated on a descriptive, stakeholder-informed review of food allergy documentation and preparedness in Illinois Head Start programs, which provides comprehensive early childhood services to children and families facing economic and social barriers to health, education, and well-being. 🍎📚

Illinois Head Start reported 384 children with life-threatening allergies, which includes allergies to food, medication, or insect-stings. The number of children with food allergy alone is likely lower. At the same time, because cases are based on medical documentation, some children with a food allergy might not have received a formal diagnosis yet.

The co-authors also identified a coordinated strategy to improve food allergy safety with an integrated three-part food allergy safety framework that includes:

1) Clinical emergency preparedness
2) Education, documentation, and referral systems
3) Food access and allergen exposure prevention

While this article is focused on Head Start programs, some of the food allergy safety strategies might be effective for public health interventions in other childcare centers and school settings.

➡️ Read our article, Food Allergy Among Children Enrolled in Illinois Head Start Programs: Assessing Burden and Advancing Action Through a Community-Academic Partnership: https://doi.org/10.70440/001c.164946

Illinois Head Start Association (IHSA)

08/05/2026

Adult-onset and late-in-life food allergies are far more common than many realize, yet they often get overlooked.

Dr. Ruchi Gupta shares insight on why a careful, customized diagnostic workup is essential when consistent symptoms point to specific foods. 💡

Check out the article on Medscape to learn more about this critical issue! https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/food-allergies-older-adults-overlooked-threat-2026a1000oyb?src=&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZnRzaAThrZlwZG9mAmZkaWQWUL831WvhNfCTP9-Zd8xF2tLVwjArGmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp12Iz_kFKhjPtkT5DwfmUdvAM8lg6i9hKniN7lCJ402e4H8CBVtL-0cCA4kQ_aem_8DOqOm__BxfHf1Vp44wNZg 🔗

08/03/2026

🎉 Congratulations to our 2026 CFAAR Scholars!

Over the past six weeks, this incredible group of undergraduate, graduate, and medical students immersed themselves in research, collaboration, and professional development through the CFAAR Scholars Program.

From working alongside our faculty and staff mentors to participating in engaging weekly didactic sessions, contributing to impactful research projects, and supporting the Ambassadors Program, this year’s cohort embraced every opportunity to learn and grow.

The program concluded with their presentations showcasing what they worked on all summer long. We couldn’t be prouder of everything they’ve accomplished.

A special thank you to our CFAAR faculty, admin team and mentors for creating another meaningful and inspiring summer experience. We can’t wait to see where these future leaders in research and medicine go next! 💜