ATLANTA, GA & CINCINNATI, OH – APFED and CEGIR have awarded a 2020 co-funded pilot grant award to Paneez Khoury, MD, MHSc, of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease’s Human Eosinophil Section, for a promising research study that will provide the first examination of gastric motility in patients with eosinophilic gastritis (EG).

APFED is providing $25,000 in funding for 2020 while CEGIR will provide funding for 2020 and 2021.

Dr. Khoury’s project will examine if allergy mediated inflammation causes fibrostenotic changes in the stomach tissue to contribute to commonly experienced EG symptoms, such as bloating and early satiety, and if it causes a slower emptying of stomach contents into the small intestine.  This important work will influence the selection of drugs that will be studied in future EG clinical trials.

Established in 2020, the APFED/CEGIR II Co-funded Pilot Grant is the result of a collaborative effort between APFED and CEGIR to enable investigators from a variety of disciplines to initiate projects relevant to eosinophil-associated diseases, with a focus on the development of new and inventive ideas that are likely to lead to future external funding and better patient outcomes.

“Over the last six years, APFED has collaborated with CEGIR to advance research for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. The partnership of patient advocacy groups with clinician-investigators, as offered through the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN), facilitates this type of targeted study,” said APFED President Dr. Wendy Book. “Gaining a better understanding of the motility issues impacting patients diagnosed with EG is important, and we are pleased to support Dr. Khoury’s project.”

Principal Investigator Dr. Paneez Khoury said, “The selection of this proposal by APFED/CEGIR co-funded Pilot Grant is critical to understanding the natural history and pathogenesis of gastric dysfunction below the esophagus. The funding and prioritization of this research will provide the ability to explore whether persistent gastrointestinal symptoms in EG may be related to gastric motility problems and provide insights into the patient experience of disease, disease pathogenesis, as well as long-term impacts of eosinophilic gastritis.”

APFED’s competitive research grant program, the Hope on the Horizon Research Fund, is supported entirely by donations.  For more information, please visit apfed.org.

About the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED)

The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to passionately embrace, support, and improve the lives of patients and families affected by eosinophil-associated diseases through education and awareness, research, support, and advocacy.

www.apfed.org.

About the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers (CEGIR)

CEGIR (U54AI117804) is a part of the NCATS Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN). RDCRN is an initiative of the Office of Rare Diseases (ORDR), NCATS, funded through a collaboration between the NCATS, the NIAID and the NIDDK. CEGIR is also supported by patient advocacy groups including APFED, CURED and EFC.

www.rarediseasesnetwork.org/cms/cegir/

Funded study seeks to define the molecular and immunologic details of t-cell antigen specificity in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)

ATLANTA, GA —The 2020 Hope APFED/AAAAI Grant Award has been awarded to David A. Hill, MD, PhD, of University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Pediatrics and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Division of Allergy and Immunology, for a promising research study that will utilize state-of-the-art techniques in experimental immunology to provide the first examination of the immune cells that contribute to the emerging food allergy eosinophilic esophagitis.

Dr. Hill is the recipient of a $140,000 grant over two years for his promising research study titled “Interrogation of Pathogenic T-cell Clonotypes in EoE.” The award will be funded equally between the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

Dr. Hill’s project will try to understand how the immune system interacts with food allergens to cause EoE. By expanding our understanding of allergen/immune cell interactions, this work will contribute to identifying new immune targets for drug development.

Established in 2013, the Hope APFED/AAAAI Grant Award is the result of a collaborative effort between APFED and AAAAI to enable investigators from a variety of disciplines to initiate projects relevant to eosinophil-associated diseases, with a focus on the development of new and inventive ideas that are likely to lead to future external funding and better patient outcomes.

“The Hope APFED/AAAAI Grant Award attracts outstanding applicants who represent a broad range of perspectives in the study of eosinophil-associated disorders, and this project in particular shows great promise to move the field forward,” said APFED Executive Director Mary Jo Strobel. “Supporting new research is a key part of APFED’s mission, and we appreciate our donors, volunteers, and our funding partner AAAAI for making it possible to advance Dr. Hill’s work.”

“This support is critical to initiating the next phase of EoE research. In addition to funding a novel data resource for the field, this work will provide preliminary data that we hope will lead to future NIH-funded research programs focused on EoE pathogenesis,” said Principal Investigator Dr. David Hill.

APFED’s competitive research grant program, the Hope on the Horizon Research Fund, is supported entirely by donations. For more information, please visit apfed.org.

About the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED)

The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to passionately embrace, support, and improve the lives of patients and families affected by eosinophil-associated diseases through education and awareness, research, support, and advocacy. www.apfed.org.

About the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 7,000 members in the United States, Canada and 72 other countries.

www.aaaai.org/