Allergy and Immunology

News, Education and Events

November 29

Remote immune processes revealed by immune-derived circulating cell-free DNA

November 23

Two Genes Associated with Familial EoE

October

2021 STAT Wunderkind Award to Tetsuo Shoda

October

Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers (CEGIR) Video

October 25

Artificial Intelligence Holds the Key to Diagnosing Rare Esophageal Food Allergy Disease

October 25

Second DUPIXENT® (Dupilumab) Phase 3 Eosinophilic Esophagitis Trial To Demonstrate Significant Disease Improvements, Underscoring Role of Type 2 Inflammation in This Complex Disease

“It is exciting to see this continual positive data, especially knowing that the foundation for this therapy was derived from our long term research focus deciphering the role of type 2 immunity (IL-13) in Eosinophilic Esophagitis and other related diseases." ~Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD

October 21

Cincinnati Children’s Launching Collaboration with Technion-Israel Institute of Technology

October 20

FDA expands approval of Dupixent® (dupilumab) to include children aged 6 to 11 years with moderate-to-severe asthma

October 13

Neonatal Antibiotics Disrupt Esophageal Microbiota, May Increase Risk of EoE

October 13

Groundbreaking partnership combines Israeli technological prowess with pediatric medicine

September 16

Discovery of Rapid-Response Signaling Platform Suggests New Path for Blocking Allergic Inflammation

September

Melanie Uses Pageant Platform to Share Her Story and Build Eosinophilic Esophagitis Awareness

September 1

Bridge to Next-Gen Medicine

August 13

Congratulations to Amal H. Assa'ad, MD for one of her July publications being among the most shared science at Cincinnati Children's! 

August 13

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Awardee

Congratulations to Andrea for winning 2nd place for her Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) presentation! This presentation was based on the research that Andrea conducted in the Rothenberg CURED Lab through the SURF Medical Exploration program. Under the mentorship of Julia Dunn, PhD and Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD, Andrea investigated gene expression patterns of eosinophils in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis.

August 12

Division NIH LRP Awardees

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Ashley L. Devonshire, MD, MPH and third-year clinical fellow Simin Zhang, MD, for being recognized for their excellence with awards from a Loan Repayment Program (LRP) of the National Institutes of Health! The NIH LRPs are a set of programs established by Congress and designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The escalating costs of advanced education and training in medicine and clinical specialties are forcing some scientists to abandon their research careers for higher-paying private industry or private practice careers. The LRPs counteract that financial pressure by repaying up to $50,000 annually of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research and are highly competitive. Drs. Devonshire and Zhang continue the strong showing of the division in having NIH LRP recipients, including prior NIH LRP awards to Drs. Michael G. Sherenian, MD, MS, Steve P. Proper, DO, PhD, and Joseph Sherrill, PhD. Since tomorrow's medical breakthroughs will be made by investigators starting in their research careers today, the LRPs represent an important investment by NIH in the future of health discovery and the wellbeing of the Nation and represent recognition of an investigator's potential. Dr. Devonshire is currently researching food allergy and food allergy risk in infants. Dr. Zhang is currently researching mast cell involvement and functions in eosinophilic esophagitis under the mentorship of Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD and J. Pablo Abonia, MD.

August 2

Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the Food Allergy Connection

“Common gastrointestinal ailments, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional abdominal pain, may instead be food-induced allergic disorders,” says our Cincinnati Children's Center for Pediatric Genomics awardee Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD in the NY Times. 

July 19

Less Restrictive Diet for Adult EoE with Milk Trigger: Some Adults with EoE Allergy Can Just Cut Milk, Instead of 6 Foods

July 12

Care Providers Read Patient Comments from Experience Surveys: Yasmin Hassoun

At Cincinnati Children's, our caregivers go above and beyond each day to give patients the best experience possible. Hear how they, including Yasmin Hassoun, MD (Allergy/Immunology), react to meaningful words straight from their patient families.

July 9

The Penicillin Allergy Testing Services (PATS) Team was invited for an interview with Cincinnati Children’s Young & Healthy Podcast!

July 5

EoE: the Food Allergy Disease

June 21

June 16

Artificial Intelligence in Allergy/Immunology Transformative machine learning in diagnosing eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)

June 10

May 21

Oral Immunotherapy in Synapse

April 29
Decoding the Mysteries of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
This is encouraging news for all of our patients and families effected by the combination of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs).

April 21
Amoxicillin-associated Rash

April 1
Congratulations to two of our Cincinnati Children's and University of Cincinnati Allergy / Immunology fellows for being recognized with first and second place in clinical research at the 10th Annual Department of Internal Medicine Research Symposium. Simin Zhang, MD was awarded 1st for her project “Clinical Significance of Mast Cell Density in GI Biopsies in Patients Presenting for Evaluation of GI Mast Cell Disorders”, and David Adams, PhD was awarded 2nd place for his project: "Multifactorial Regulation of Axl Expression".

March
Who We Are: Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network Video

February 22
Cincinnati Children’s Team and Faculty Awards
Allergy Nursing Team recognized as the “2020 Top Performing Small Division for Outstanding Nursing Patient Family Experience (PFE)”! This honor was awarded based on a review of the annual experience survey scores and positive comments, which highlight the exceptional feedback the team routinely receives from the patients and families. The team was recognized in a virtual awards ceremony held on Monday, February 22nd. Thank you for all you do, for making a difference in the lives of so many families and for promoting a positive experience at Cincinnati Children’s!

Vincent Mukkada, MD received the “2020 Top Pediatric Provider Award” at Cincinnati Children’s! This is an amazing, well-deserved accomplishment, reflecting not only his outstanding clinical care, but also a great team at large with the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders.

Kimberly Risma, MD, PhD received the “2020 Clinical Care Achievement Award”! Dr. Risma is an extraordinary clinician whose innovation has led to the creation of the Drug Allergy Program launched in 2019. She is also having a leading impact in promoting the next generation of physicians in the allergy and immunology field. This award is most deserving and demonstrates appreciation for her immense dedication, talents and contributions.

February 11
2020 Research Highlights: Division of Allergy and Immunology

February 11
RDCRN Announces New 2021 Network Steering Committee Leadership
We are pleased to announce that Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD has been elected as co-chair of the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN, www.rarediseasesnetwork.org) Steering Committee. Dr. Rothenberg will join Dr. Jennifer Puck and Dr. Andrea Gropman in leading the RDCRN Steering Committee.

January 21
Cincinnati Children’s to House Food Allergy Biobank and Biomarker Discovery Center

January 21
FARE Announces Key Partnerships in Crusade to Advance Food Allergy Research

January 14
Scientist Spotlight: Marc Rothenberg Leads Eosinophilic Collaboration and Research to New Discoveries

January 13 
EoE Research Selected as ‘Editor’s Choice’ in JACI

January 6
How Experts at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center are Combatting Allergic Reactions

December

What is the risk of allergic reaction to COVID-19 vaccines?
Amal H. Assa’ad, MD, comments about assessing allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines.  

U.S. Senate Passes FASTER Act, Brings Sesame Labeling One Step Closer for Food Allergy Community

November

Transferring Allergies in the Womb
Dr. Rothenberg shares his perspective on a recent article about how maternal mast cells are involved in allergy development in this invited Science Perspective.

Asian Children With Food Allergies More Likely to Experience Quality of Life Challenges

MSSRP Poster Award Winners
Susie Min and Rahul Sandella participated in the 10th Annual Research and Service Symposium at UC on Friday, November 6th. We appreciate UC providing a virtual forum for the MSSRP Program poster judging this year. Susie Min won second place for "Molecular Diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis from a Single Esophageal Biopsy" with the mentorship of Ting Wen, PhD and Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD. She will represent us at the annual National Student Research Forum (NSRF) in Galveston, TX (April, 2021). Rahul Sandella won third place for "The Effects of Adiposity on Disease and Symptom Severity in Eosinophilic Esophagitis" with the mentorship of Vincent A. Mukkada, MD and Kara Kliewer, RD, PhD.

October

Anti–Siglec-8 Antibody for Eosinophilic Gastritis and Duodenitis
Patients with eosinophilic gastritis (EG) have limited therapeutic options. The Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders is proud to have been an integral part of an important trial, now published in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrating that lirentelimab significantly and safely improves symptoms in subjects with EG while eradicating eosinophils. We are hopeful that the Phase 3 trial, which is now enrolling participants, will ultimately confirm these findings so that there are more clinically approved therapeutic options for individuals with this rare disorder.

Grateful Patient with Eosinophilia Thanks Cincinnati Children’s For Improved Life

September

Roots of New Drug for HES Trace Back to Cincinnati Children’s

Cincinnati Children's helps pave way for newly approved use of drug

Webinar: Peanut Oral Immunotherapy at Cincinnati Children's 

What is Eosinophilia?

Treatment for rare esophagus disease deemed breakthrough therapy by FDA: Dupixent shown to reduce esophageal inflammation

FDA Announces Guidance for Industry entitled “Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Developing Drugs for Treatment.”
This guidance is intended to describe the Agency's current thinking and recommended approach for the development of drugs and therapeutic biologics for the treatment of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis.

What it's like to get Palforzia, the first drug to treat peanut allergies in children

August 

How to Read a Food Label

July

Eosinophil responses during COVID-19 infections and coronavirus vaccinations

2020 Virtual Lab Day with the Rothenberg CURED Lab

Eosinophil responses during COVID-19 infections and coronavirus vaccinations 

May

FDA-Approved Drug Reverses Inflammation in Animal Model of Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Progress Update for Eosinophilic Disorder Research

EGIDExpress Tool Helps Accelerate EoE Research

EOS Network - Your Questions Answered by EOS Network Professionals

Unlocking the Secrets of Eosinophilic Esophagitis: A New Children’s Book

A preliminary report (not peer-reviewed) - Alpha I Antitrypsin is an Inhibitor of the SARS-CoV2-Priming Protease TMPRSS2

The ABCs of EGIDs - online web-based education module

SECURE-EoE/EGID - Coronavirus and EoE/EGID Reporting Database

Research survey for rare disease patients and their families about impacts of COVID-19

April

Congratulations to Melissa Mingler, MS, MBA, the Business Manager in the Division of Allergy and Immunology, on her election as Treasurer for the Midwest Section of the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI). Mel currently serves as the Treasurer of the Ohio Chapter of SRAI and is now taking that experience to a higher level to serve the Midwest Section.

Congratulations to Rishi Mehta of the Rothenberg Lab for being selected as a 2020 Barry Goldwater Scholar by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.

March

Kimberly A. Risma, MD, PhD was elected as Vice Chair of the Program Directors Assembly Executive Committee 2020-2022 and will serve as chair 2022-2024 for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

February 24

RDCRN Spotlight: Patients Power Research in Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders

February 21

Cincinnati Children's Patient Story: Nebraska Family Finds Answers and Food Options for Kids with EoE

February 19

EOS Network Website is Live!

February 17

Cincinnati Children's Patient Story: Three Matching Shirts, Three Matching Diagnoses

February 11

RDCRN Spotlight: NIH's Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network Launches New Logo

February 3

Congratulations to our colleague Michelle B. Lierl, MD, who was recognized by the Patient and Family Experience (PFE) and Ambulatory teams this quarter for outstanding PFE in the Ambulatory setting. Dr. Lierl has been identified for this recognition based on a review of scores and positive comments that highlights the exceptional feedback she routinely receives from the patients and families she serves. During her February 3rd clinic, she was surprised with the news of this award!

February 3

Amal H. Assa’ad, MD speaks in this news video by WLWT5 about the FDA approving a new drug to help children with peanut allergy.

January

Research Horizons: New Tests May Help Diagnose Rare Subset of Eosinophilic Disorders

Our local colleague Michael G. Sherenian, MD, MS was selected as one of the 2020 AAAAI Foundation Faculty Development Award recipients, which is an honor and recognition of his accomplishments and plans.

Kimberly A. Risma, MD, PhD is making great strides in drug allergy treatment and awareness. Please support awareness of penicillin allergy and its over diagnosis by watching this video and learning more at the recently launched webpages of the Drug Allergy Program at Cincinnati Children's!

Marc E. Rothenberg, MD, PhD was pleased to assist NORD this year in preparation of the Eosinophilic Esophagitis report for the Rare Disease Database!

DECEMBER 4

How to Talk to Party Hosts About Kids' Nut Allergies

NOVEMBER 14

Lawmakers Propose Council to Help People With Rare Diseases

NOVEMBER 13

Nucala (mepolizumab) is the first treatment to show a significant reduction in flares for patients with Hypereosinophilic Syndrome (HES) 

NOVEMBER 7-10

5th CURED EGID Research Conference and Patient Education Program and "The CURED" Video

OCTOBER

Penicillin Allergy Testing Service set to launch in mid-November

OCTOBER 25

AP-1 activity induced by co-stimulation is rehired for chromatin opening during T cell activation

Marc E. Rothenberg, MD, PhD, shares, "I am pleased to share this research from the Barski Lab. This is an important contribution to the field, defining the epigenetic and transcriptional processes involved in T cell memory. This has direct implications in understanding the immunologic basis of a variety of diseases including allergy." 

OCTOBER 23 

5th CURED Research Conference and Patient Education Program Begins Nov. 7

OCTOBER 5

Efficacy of Dupilumab in Phase 2 Randomized Trial of Adults with Active Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Marc E. Rothenberg, MD, PhD, shares, "These positive data are good news for the patients, as this is a very promising therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). This is also good news for the research field, as these clinical results are based on over a decade of research by the Rothenberg Lab, providing the scientific basis of blocking this pathway in EoE and related eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs)." 

SEPTEMBER 21

Travel Award by Ohio Physiological Society

Rishi Mehta, a student in the Rothenberg Lab, was awarded the AD Instruments Travel Award of the Ohio Physiological Society, which will provide support for him to attend the Experimental Biology 2020 conference. He presented his research in the Rothenberg Lab under the title of "Loss of peptidyl-arginine deiminase 1-mediated citrullination drives esophageal epithelial barrier impairment in allergic inflammation".

AUGUST 5

Phase 2 Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo0Controlled Study in Patients with Eosinophilic Gastritis and/or Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis

Marc E. Rothenberg, MD, PhD, shares, "This is exciting news for the eosinophil gastrointestinal community. This early study met the key endpoints and looks promising for the future treatment of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease. Here at Cincinnati Children's, we are pleased to have contributed to the preclinical research, design and implementation of this drug and study."

MARCH 12

Dr. Rothenberg received the Paul Ehrlich Lectureship Award

Dr. Rothenberg, the Principal Investigator for the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers (CEGIR), has been awarded the highest honor bestowed by the International Eosinophil Society for his major contributions to the advancement of our understanding of the eosinophil.

FEBRUARY 19 

Can an Antibody Against IL-13 Be Used to Treat Eosinophilic Esophagitis?

JANUARY 31 

FOX Cincinnati FARE Interview

Sandy Durrani, MD, discusses the increase of allergies on local Cincinnati FOX News in an interview arranged the by Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE).

JANUARY 16

Knopp Biosciences Expands Research Collaboration with Cincinnati Children's to Characterize Effect of Dexpramipexole in Inflammatory Diseases

Through a previous collaboration with Knopp, Patricia Fulkerson, MD, PhD and her team employed an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) culture system to study the ability of dexpramipexole to inhibit the maturation of eosinophil progenitor cells. Looking forward, Dr. Fulkerson and her team will investigate molecular pathways in eosinophil development and attempt to further elucidate the effect of dexpramipexole on those pathways.

JANUARY

Allergy and Immunology Division: Select Research Advances of 2018 Video

Through our sustained commitment to research and clinical excellence for allergic and immunologic conditions, we will continue to change the outcome together. This slideshow highlights notable scientific advances made by The Division of Allergy and Immunology at Cincinnati Children’s in 2018. Our research has advanced the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of many rare and common allergic and immunologic diseases.

JANUARY

Zuckerman Scholar

Netali Morgenstern-Ben Baruch is a 2018/2019 Zuckerman Israeli Postdoctoral Scholar of the Zuckerman Scholars Program and is investigating an inhibitory receptor, ILT-2, to learn about its role in the type 2 inflammatory disease Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).

NOVEMBER

Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD Recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher for 2018

NOVEMBER 22

New Drug Could Be Game-changer For Kids With Severe Peanut Allergies

NOVEMBER 18

Landmark PALISADE Trial of AR101 Published in New England Journal of Medicine - read the open-access journal article

NOVEMBER 9

Anti-IL-13 Phase 2 Trial for Eosinophilic Esophagitis

OCTOBER

Proyecto EoE y Ausencia de Proteina SPINK7:Entrevista al Investigador Principal - see the October issue (pages 8-9) of the AEDESEO newsletter for an interview with Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD

OCTOBER 24

Scientists Discover Why So Many Children Born With a Defective Esophagus Develop Severe Food Allergies

OCTOBER 22

DBV Technologies Announces Submission of Biologics License Application for Viaskin Peanut to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

OCTOBER 18

A revolutionary treatment for allergies to peanuts and other foods is going mainstream--but do the benefits outweigh the risks?

OCTOBER 12

Thomas J. Fischer Endowed Education Fund

SEPTEMBER 7

Durrani Spem Facit

Our clinical team members are dedicated to excellence in patient care. For Sandy Durrani, MD, this was recently recognized by a grateful patient family naming a star “Durrani Spem Facit”, which loosely translates from Latin to mean ‘hope maker’. We are so proud of Sandy and all of our stellar team members for changing the outcome together.

JULY 3

Eosinophilic Esophagitis Video: What is EoE?

JUNE 6

Study Finds Absence of Key Protein, SPINK7, May Drive EoE: Replacement Therapy Reversed Effects in Tissue Experiments

MAY 2

Discovery Could Lead to Personalized Medical Therapies for Emerging New Food Allergy Disorder

JANUARY 3

Creating a multi-center rare disease consortium - the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers
This is a fantastic summary of the formation of CEGIR, the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers, the first large-scale collaboration between key stakeholders in the field of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders, including researchers, patients and the key funding agency, the NIH. CEGIR is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders through innovative research, clinical expertise and education via collaborations between scientists, health care providers, patients, and professional organizations.

• American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI)
• American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED)
• ausEE - Australian Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders Group
• Asociación Española de Esofagitis Eosinofilica (AEDESEO) - Spanish Eosinophilic Esophagitis Group
• Campaign Urging Research for Eosinophilic Disease (CURED)
• Coalition of Eosinophil Patient Advocacy Groups (C-EOS)
• Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers (CEGIR)
• End Allergies Together (EAT)
• Eosinophilic Family Coalition (EFC)
• EOS Network - United Kingdom Eosinophilic Disorders Group
• Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT)
• Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)
• Lehedva - Israeli Eosinophilic Esophagitis Group
• Mothers of Children Having Allergies (MOCHA)
• National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
• Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN) and the Division of Eosinophilic Support (UFAN-DOES)

Joseph E. Ghory, M.D.

1915-1988

Dr. Joseph Ghory was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He received his M.D. from the Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1939. After completing a pediatric residency at the Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, he practiced general pediatrics in Cincinnati for 17 years.

He was devoted to teaching and was instrumental in establishing the pediatric residency training program at Good Samaritan Hospital, where he served as the first director of pediatric education. He was elected president of the Cincinnati Pediatric Society, the Children’s Hospital Medical Staff and the Academy of Medicine of Cincinnati. Impressed by the large number of children with allergic diseases, he sought additional training in allergy and became the first board-certified pediatric allergist in Cincinnati in 1960. Together with Dr. Leonard Bernstein, Dr. Ghory established the Allergy Fellowship at the University of Cincinnati and the Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Ghory’s special interest and vision was the long-term care and rehabilitation of children with intractable asthma, using a community approach with involvement of the family and a limited hospital stay. He thus became director of the Convalescent Hospital for Children in Cincinnati, organized and presided over the national Association of Convalescent Homes and Hospitals for Asthmatic Children and was chairman of the Rehabilitation Committee of the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology.

Dr. Ghory’s greatest pride was his family, and his legacy lives on in two of his daughters, Ann Ghory, M.D. and Patricia Ghory, M.D., who are practicing allergists in the Cincinnati area, and now in three of his grandchildren, who are now our young practicing and future allergists. 

2020-

2021 – Aikaterini Anagnostou

2020 – Sandy Durrani and Justin Schwartz

2010-2019

2019 – William W. Busse

2018 – Seema Aceves

2017 – Elizabeth Phillips

2016 – Carina Venter

2015 – Kara Shah

2014 – Linda Cox

2013 – Kimberly Risma

2012 – David Fleischer

2011 – Amal Assa’ad

2000-2009

2009 – Marc Rothenberg

2008 – Scott Sicherer

2007 – Carolyn Kercsmar

2006 – Jim Gern

2005 – Sally Wenzel

2004 – Anne-Marie Irani

2003 – Donald Leung

2002 – Fernando Martinez

2001 – Marianne Frieri

2000 – Wesley Burks

1991-1999

1999 – Alan Kaplan

1998 – Bruce Bochner

1997 – Robert Lemanske

1996 – Peter Creticos

1995 – Michael Blais

1994 – Paul Greenberger

1993 – Elliot Ellis

1992 – Louise Marker

1991 – Sami Bahna