Assoc. Professor Alexander Eggel, PhD, Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern, and Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital Bern, Switzerland, recognised for his research: “Improving diagnostic and therapeutic options for allergic patients”

About his research

Alexander Eggel’s research seeks to enhance both the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases through a translational and patient-centred approach. His team has developed a novel ex vivo mast cell activation test capable of accurately assessing allergen-specific responses from patient samples, offering a safer and more predictive alternative to conventional diagnostic methods. In parallel, his work on next-generation anti-IgE biologics (Effector Cell Response Inhibitors; ECRIs) introduces multifunctional therapies that rapidly disarm allergic effector cells in three ways: prevent binding of free IgE, actively remove precomplexed IgE from its high-affinity receptor, and down-regulate IgE receptor levels. Together, these innovations aim to improve precision, safety, and efficacy in allergy management. 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.16341

Dr Janice A. Layhadi, PhD, Research Associate, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, United Kingdom, recognised for her research: “Integrated multi-omics approach to elucidate cellular and molecular pathways modulated by allergen-specific immunotherapy in innate lymphoid cells”

About her research 

Janice A. Layhadi’s research aims to better understand the biological mechanisms underlying allergen immunotherapy (AIT) through advanced multi-omics approaches. By integrating single-cell transcriptomics, epigenetics, and proteomics, her work identifies key cellular pathways involved in immune tolerance and distinguishes responders from non-responders to treatment. Her discovery of regulatory innate lymphoid cell subsets and associated signalling pathways provides valuable insights for the development of predictive biomarkers. Ultimately, her research supports more personalised, targeted, and effective allergy treatments, addressing unmet needs in diseases such as allergic rhinitis. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33450188/

Dr Laurent Reber, PhD, Research Director, ERC team “Asthma, Allergy & Immunotherapy”, Inserm, INFINITY Institute, Toulouse, France, recognised for his research: “Development of vaccines for the treatment of allergic diseases”.

About his research 

Laurent Reber’s research focuses on developing innovative vaccine strategies aimed at providing long-term protection against allergic diseases. His work explores the induction of endogenous neutralising antibodies targeting key drivers of allergic inflammation, such as IL-4, IL-13, and IgE. By demonstrating sustained protection against asthma, dermatitis, and anaphylaxis in preclinical models, his approach could offer a cost-effective and durable alternative to current biologic therapies. In parallel, his research on mRNA-based allergen vaccines, particularly targeting birch pollen allergy, opens new perspectives for next-generation immunotherapy, with the potential to improve long-term efficacy and patient outcomes. 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.15680

Dr Pablo Rodríguez del Río, MD, PhD, Allergy Department, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús. Fundación para la investigación Biomédica del Hospital Niño Jesús. Instituto de Investigación Hospital de La Princesa. Madrid, Spain, recognised for his work: “Understanding patient’s perspective and relevance of food immunotherapy outcomes. The COFAITH project”.

About his research 

Pablo Rodríguez del Río’s research brings a critical patient-centred perspective to food allergen immunotherapy (FAIT). Through an international, multicentre EACCI Task force study involving patients and caregivers, his work explores which treatment outcomes matter most to those directly affected. By analysing patient-reported outcomes, quality of life measures, and treatment expectations across diverse populations, his research reveals the complexity and variability of patient preferences. These findings highlight the importance of integrating patient perspectives into clinical decision-making and support the development of more tailored, shared approaches to allergy treatment. 

https://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198(25)00418-0/abstract