he childrens’ allergy research programme at Addenbrooke’s is led by Dr Andrew Clark.

Study of Tolerance to Oral Peanut (STOP) Oral immunotherapy for severe food allergy was a pilot study (n=22) set up in 2008 looking at peanut oral immunotherapy. This was funded by the Evelyn Trust, and led to the NIHR Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme awarding funding for a phase II efficacy study of peanut OIT     (STOP II; n=104). This study is underway and was completed in March 2013. Manuscripts and final reports have been submitted. CI – Dr Clark.

The Study of Extrinsic Factors in Food Allergy (TRACE). This multi-centre food challenge study led by Cambridge (Cambridge, Imperial and Manchester) looks at food thresholds in the population. It aims to explore the challenge thresholds of peanut allergic patients with and without extrinsic factors (exercise and sleep deprivation). Cambridge is the lead centre CI – Dr Clark (n=100; CLRN portfolio study).

Study of T cells in Allergy and Resolution (STAR) n =100. This is a clinical study of natural resolution of egg allergy egg allergic children and involves performing sequential challenges to well cooked and then raw egg in each child, allied to mechanistic immunophenotyping laboratory assays. The study was completed in 2011, 2 publications were produced and the study contributed to a national guideline.

The development of novel diagnostic techniques for food allergy involves a pilot study of thermographic imaging used in peanut challenges. It will lead to development of Phase II dose-ranging study of nasal peanut challenges and infrared thermography in preparation.

Mechanism of tolerance induction, both naturally and through oral immunotherapy – Development of a panel of mechanistic immune blood assays to monitor changes occurring during resolution of allergy. These are applied throughout our studies and include allergen specific T cell proliferation, IgE, IgG and subclasses, basophil responsiveness and tryptase.

 

For clinically related issues please visit Addenbrooke’s Paediatric Allergy site