Florida Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Society - FAAIS

07/12/2026

Enjoy the final day of the annual meeting with a timely update on alpha gal allergy for the southern allergist, the original publication on this was in 2009

07/11/2026

It’s a great venue for the meeting this year at JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes

07/11/2026

Welcome to the second day of the annual meeting! It’s an exciting program today that’s for sure

07/03/2026

Reminder: FAAIS 2026 Annual Meeting - See You Next Week! 👋

📍 JW Marriott Grande Lakes
📅 July 10-12, 2026

Registration is located in the Palazzo Foyer.
Sign-in opens Friday, July 10 at 6:30 AM.

Full meeting program here:
https://www.faais.org/annual-meeting/program/

Looking forward to seeing everyone there for great education, networking, and updates in allergy/immunology!

The 2025 FAAIS Annual Meeting was held at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The three-day meeting hosted practicing allergists from Florida.

05/23/2026

New research led by Florida allergists has been published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI):

Title: Correlation Between Online Allergy Searches and Mental Health Terms: Patient Education Implications

This study explores how people searching for allergy-related information online are also frequently searching for mental health topics — highlighting the significant psychological burden that allergic diseases can have on patients.

Key takeaway: As allergy specialists, we have an opportunity (and responsibility) to provide better patient education that addresses both the physical and emotional aspects of allergic conditions.

Read the full article here:
https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(25)01680-X/fulltext

What are your thoughts on the mind-allergy connection in your practice? Share below 👇

This study examines the observed association between public online search activity for allergy-related terms, specifically allergic rhinitis, and searches for mental health terms including depression and anxiety. We aim to clarify potential mechanisms—particularly allergy-induced sleep disturbance...

04/18/2026

📢 Save the Date: Next Ask the Immunologist Session!

The Florida Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Society (FAAIS) is pleased to announce the next Ask the Immunologist Session presented by Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, FL.

🗓️ Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM
📍 Platform: Microsoft Teams (virtual)

This is a great opportunity to get your questions answered by experts in Allergy and Immunology from Memorial Healthcare System. Join us for an informative and interactive session.
We look forward to seeing you there!

04/04/2026

🧬 New Research Spotlight: Better Ways to Predict Outcomes in Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) - A Study by Florida Allergists:

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is one of the most frequent primary immunodeficiencies, marked by low antibody levels that lead to recurrent infections — and often serious non-infectious complications such as autoimmunity, organ damage, granulomatous disease, and increased cancer risk.

Until recently, it has been difficult for clinicians to reliably identify which patients face the highest risk of severe complications and reduced survival.

A large multicenter study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) analyzed 209 CVID patients and provides valuable new insights through immunologic biomarkers:

Infectious complications (especially recurrent respiratory infections) were strongly linked to low serum immunoglobulins, particularly IgA.

Non-infectious complications (including splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, interstitial lung disease, cytopenias, enteropathy, liver disease, and lymphoma) were more closely associated with specific cellular defects:

Late-onset combined immunodeficiency (LOCID), defined by severe reduction in naive CD4+ T cells.

Pronounced defects in classical CD27+ memory B cells (often with lower NK cells and IgM), linked to higher risk of enteropathy and liver disease.

Most importantly for prognosis:

Lower serum IgG, presence of LOCID, and especially the absence of CD27+ memory B cells were the strongest predictors of shorter survival.

Genetic risk alleles did not independently predict outcomes in this cohort.

These accessible biomarkers — measured through standard immunoglobulin levels and flow cytometry of T- and B-cell subsets — offer clinicians a practical way to stratify risk, intensify monitoring for high-risk patients, and personalize management strategies.

Early identification of those at greatest risk could meaningfully improve long-term outcomes and quality of life for people living with CVID.

Read the full study here: https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(25)01079-6/fulltext

More than half of all symptomatic primary immunodeficiency patients receive a diagnosis of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), with a prevalence in the general population of 1:25,000 to 1:50,000 individuals.1-3 CVID comprises a heterogeneous group of patients with unexplained decreased serum im...

03/25/2026

🚨 New Research from Florida Allergists Highlights a Potential New Driver of Nasal Polyps! 🚨

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a tough condition for many patients - driven by stubborn type 2 inflammation, eosinophils, and often poor response to standard treatments.

A new abstract published in the February 2026 issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) sheds light on an intriguing molecule: CEACAM5 (also known as carcinoembryonic antigen or CEA).

Led by Humdoon Choudhry, MD and colleagues - including Richard Lockey, MD, FAAAAI and Seong Cho, MD, FAAAAI - this study found significantly elevated levels of both membrane-bound and soluble CEACAM5 in nasal polyp tissue compared to controls.

Key findings:

CEACAM5 is highly expressed in epithelial cells and stroma of nasal polyps.

Levels correlate with increased plasma cells (CD138 marker).
Soluble CEACAM5 in nasal secretions is elevated and positively correlates with IL-4, a key driver of type 2 inflammation.

These results suggest that CEACAM5 may contribute to a novel epithelial-stromal axis that fuels persistent inflammation in CRSwNP. It could one day serve as a biomarker or even a new therapeutic target — potentially complementing existing biologics like dupilumab.

This exciting work from our Florida researchers adds to the growing understanding of why nasal polyps keep coming back in some patients and opens promising new avenues for better treatments.
Read the abstract here:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674925014411

What are your thoughts on emerging targets in CRSwNP? Drop them in the comments below 👇

03/25/2026

🌟 Save the Date! FAAIS 2026 Annual Meeting 🌟

Join your colleagues from across Florida for the Florida Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Society (FAAIS) 2026 Annual Meeting!

📅 July 10–12, 2026
📍 JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes

4040 Central Florida Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32837

Physician Program Director: Jacqueline D. Squire, MD
Resident Program Director: Juan Carlos Murillo, MD

This year’s meeting features outstanding clinical updates and practical sessions on:

Asthma & allergies in pregnancy
Angioedema, urticaria, and emerging treatments for hives/itch
Food allergy (including OIT/SLIT and non-IgE mediated)
Alpha-gal syndrome, EoE, and environmental allergies
Severe asthma and biologics
Atopic dermatitis across all skin tones
Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)
Drug/chemotherapy desensitization
Immunodeficiency, bronchiectasis, and much more

Plus dedicated programming for residents/fellows, an exhibit hall, breakfast & dinner product theaters, a cocktail reception, Jewel Showcase Pin Ceremony, and the FAAIS Annual Business Meeting.

Up to 11.25 CME credits are available.

📄 Full program & schedule:

https://www.faais.org/annual-meeting/program/

https://www.faais.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FAAIS-2026-Program-0121.pdf

Registration is now open!
👉 https://www.faais.org/annual-meeting/registration/

Early registration is strongly encouraged — late fees begin June 1, 2026.

We can’t wait to see you in Orlando for three days of outstanding education, networking, and collegiality!

08/01/2025

🎉 The 2025 FAAIS Annual Meeting kicks off today at Disney’s Contemporary Resort!

🩺 Join us for incredible didactic sessions led by top experts.

Enjoy the camaraderie and connect with fellow allergists over the next three days!

🚀 Check out the program details: https://www.faais.org/annual-meeting/program/