The overarching goal of the research agenda described in this application is to position CoFAR as the international leader in the study of food allergy, including optimal characterization of the disease and development of the next generation of treatments. This next CoFAR will bring food allergy research to new heights with cutting edge clinical and mechanistic studies focused on disease phenotypes and novel approaches to prevention and treatment. The research agenda will be based first and foremost on the best possible science, but to maximize productivity we will also need to plan judiciously so that all available resources can be used to their utmost capacity. Therefore, the research agenda will need to carefully select and stage protocols based not just on their potential to advance the field, but also with careful consideration regarding other novel treatments that may be under development, and how one study may inform the next. Finally, the overall research strategy will also need to balance the work load of the SACCC and each CRU in the consortium. The three major aims of this program are to: 1) rapidly implement a food allergy registry study that will provide the means to fully characterize and phenotype a large population of patients, determine true rates of reactions, and serve as a recruitment source for clinical trials; 2) develop and implement a novel, cutting edge protocol for the treatment of food allergy using a DNA-LAMP vaccine for the treatment of peanut allergy; and 3) choose and develop additional protocols for inclusion in the consortium, especially related to other promising approaches in development for either treatment or prevention. It is anticipated that a minimum of 3 protocols, including both clinical trials and non-interventional studies, will be initiated and completed over the seven-year funding period, and this could rise to 5 or even 6 protocols depending on the size, duration, and complexity of each study. In addition, the agenda will work to fully integrate the Biomarker Facility and the Opportunity Fund into each of the CoFAR protocols. If successful, this research agenda will define not just the next 7 years of CoFAR, but will also establish the platform for the next decade(s) of food allergy research.

Public Health Relevance

The overarching goal of the research agenda described in this application is to position CoFAR as the international leader in the study of food allergy, including optimal characterization of the disease and development of the next generation of treatments. This next CoFAR will bring food allergy research to new heights with cutting edge clinical and mechanistic studies focused on disease phenotypes and novel approaches to prevention and treatment. If successful, this research agenda will define not just the next 7 years of CoFAR, but will also establish the platform for the next decade(s) of food allergy research.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Program Project or Center with Complex Structure Cooperative Agreement (UM2)
Project #
5UM2AI130836-02
Application #
9443585
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAI1)
Program Officer
Dong, Gang
Project Start
2017-03-01
Project End
2024-02-29
Budget Start
2018-03-01
Budget End
2019-02-28
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001910777
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21205
Sampson, Hugh A; Berin, M Cecilia; Plaut, Marshall et al. (2018) The Consortium for Food Allergy Research (CoFAR) The First Generation. J Allergy Clin Immunol :