29 March 2023: 

Thank you to our generous supporters, who have enabled the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) to offer eight research grants to ASCIA members in 2023.

The grant round is now open and expressions of interest are due by 5 May.

Grants to be awarded in September at the ASCIA conference:

• $20,000  Professor Ann Kupa AIFA Food Allergy Research Grant 
• $15,000  DBV Technologies AIFA Food Allergy Research Grant 
• $15,000 CSL Behring AIFA PID Clinical Research Grant 
• $15,000 CSL Behring AIFA HAE Clinical Research Grant 
• $40,000 (4 x $10,000) AIFA Research Grants 

The four grants of $10,000 are to encourage new research projects which do not yet have major funding. They are available to Early Career Researchers which include:

• Early career scientist researchers
• Emerging clinician researchers (such as advanced trainees)
• Other health professionals (dietitians, nurses, pharmacists)

Grants are awarded as part of a competitive research grant program with applicants invited from throughout Australia and New Zealand. 

To find out how to submit an expression of interest for an AIFA grant in 2023 read more here

AIFA ensures that 100% of donations and sponsorship goes directly to fund grants for allergy and immunology research. 

To follow our work, read about the projects AIFA has supported here or sign up for our newsletter.

21 December 2022: 

Thank you to our generous supporters, who have enabled the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) to provide over $620,000 to 27 research projects since 2014:

• AIFA ensures that 100% of your tax deductible donation will directly fund grants for allergy and immunology research, not administration or marketing. Donations can be made online on the AIFA website.
• All donations of $100 or more are listed on the AIFA website in perpetuity to provide a lasting legacy.
• Named AIFA research grants of $10,000 or more can be targeted to specific clinical areas.
• AIFA is an ASCIA initiative - ASCIA and AIFA are registered with the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC).

Thank you also to the AIFA expert grant selection panel, led by Dr Melanie Wong, who volunteer their time to work on the robust AIFA grant selection process.

AIFA grant rounds open in March each year and are announced at the ASCIA Annual Conference in September, which also includes presentations by previous AIFA research grant recipients in an annual AIFA Research Symposium. 

To be eligible for an AIFA grant the Chief Investigator must be an ASCIA member and the research needs to be carried out by the chief investigator and designated team in a non-profit institution in Australia or New Zealand. 

To follow our work, read about the projects AIFA has supported here or sign up for our newsletter.

7 September 2022: 

The Chair of the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia, Dr Melanie Wong, proudly announced the AIFA grants for 2022 at the AIFA Research Symposium of the ASCIA Conference in Melbourne on Thursday 1^st September.

	The AIFA Ann Kupa Food Allergy Research Grant of $40,000 was awarded to the project “Immune mechanisms governing the natural resolution of peanut allergy”. Co-Chief Investigators A/Prof Rachel Peters and Dr Melanie Neeland are based at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne. Read more…
	The AIFA Food Allergy Research Grant of $15,000 (supported by DBV Technologies) was awarded to Dr Brynn Wainstein for the project “A novel approach to diagnose cashew and pistachio allergy using peptide microarray technology”. Dr Wainstein will lead a team from the Sydney Children’s Hospital and the University of New South Wales. Read more...
	The AIFA Primary Immunodeficiencies Clinical Research Grant of $30,000 (supported by CSL Behring) was awarded to Dr Emily Edwards for the project “Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in immunoglobulin products and their capacity to augment immunity in immunodeficient patients.” Dr Edwards works at Monash University and the team includes researchers from Alfred Health, Monash University and the Burnet Institute, with collaboration from the patient organisation AusPIPs and the Australian Red Cross LIfeblood. Read more…
	AIFA awarded an Early Career Researcher grant of $30,000 to Dr Alisa Kane for the project “ImPaCT-PID study (Improving Patient Centred Transitional Care in Primary Immunodeficiency)”. Dr Kane works at St Vincent’s Hospital and will collaborate with the patient organisation Immune Deficiencies Foundation of Australia (IDFA) and colleagues in hospitals nationwide. Read more...

Congratulations to all the successful Chief Investigators and their teams. We look forward to reporting the results of this important research at future ASCIA conferences.

Thank you to our donors and sponsors for making it possible for AIFA to fund a total of $115,000 in research grants for 2022. Thank you also to our expert grant selection panel of clinical immunology/allergy specialists who volunteered their time to review the applications.

The next AIFA research grant round will open in early 2023 and we are working toward our target of donating $1 million dollars in research grants by 2025

We need your support of future AIFA grants for allergy and immunology research.

Please donate or sponsor a named grant. https://www.allergyimmunology.org.au/donate

28 June 2022

The end of the financial year is a time to celebrate the act of giving. With your help, the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) supports research teams who are unravelling the working of the immune system to improve diagnosis, develop new treatments and achieve better health outcomes for people living with allergy and other immune disease.

AIFA is now fundraising for 2023 research grants. You can be a part of supporting Australasian allergy and immunology researchers with your tax deductible donation. Every dollar goes directly into research, not administration or marketing costs.  

To follow our work, read about the projects AIFA has supported here or sign up for our newsletter.

 

Researchers who were awarded AIFA grants in 2020 will present an update on their progress at the ASCIA Conference in Melbourne on 1^st September, 2022. For program details and registration visit  www.ascia2022.com

25 March 2022: 

It is a pleasure to announce that the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) 2022 Grants Round is now open.  

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are invited from ASCIA members who are actively involved in clinical allergy and immunology research.

EOIs are due by midnight on Monday 2nd May 2022 and the application form is on the AIFA website www.allergyimmunology.org.au/grants

Allergy and immunology research is as vital as ever. It may help someone like Sarah.

Sarah had been living with the fear of a severe allergic reaction to peanuts. Recently she has been part of a trial led by Professor Mimi Tang at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne. AIFA awarded Professor Tang the Ann Kupa Food Allergy Research Grant in 2021 to extend this work. This grant will fund a study investigating the underlying mechanisms that support remission of allergy, which will lead to better long-term treatments for peanut allergy.

Read Sarah’s story here

In 2022 a total of $115,000 will be awarded as four AIFA Grants 

Allergy and Immunology Research

$30,000 AIFA Early Career Researcher Grant

Food Allergy Research Grants

$40,000 AIFA Ann Kupa Food Allergy Grant

$15,000 AIFA Food Allergy Grant (supported by DBV Technologies)

Primary Immunodeficiency Research Grant

$30,000 AIFA Primary Immunodeficiency Clinical Research Grant (supported by CSL Behring)

By the end of 2025 AIFA aims to award a cumulative total of $1 million in research grants, selected by experts, for clinically important research into allergy and other immune diseases.

Help us achieve this goal by donating now

If you wish to discuss a named grant of over $10,000 as a lasting legacy, please email Michelle Haskard at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

100% of your donation goes towards AIFA research grants

28 September 2021

The Chair of the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia, Dr Melanie Wong, proudly announced the AIFA grants for 2021 at the ASCIA Virtual Conference on 2^nd September.

	The AIFA Food Allergy Research Grant of $40,000 was awarded to Professor Mimi Tang to explore the “Immune mechanisms underpinning remission of allergy”. Professor Tang works at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) in Melbourne. Read more…
	The AIFA Food Allergy Research Grant of $15,000 (supported by DBV Technologies) was awarded to Dr Peter Hsu, who works at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney. His project is “Investigating impaired T cell activation in children with food allergy”. Read more...
	The Kohen and Sage Richards Food Allergy Grant of $12,000 was awarded to A/Professor Katrina Randall at The Canberra Hospital/ANU Medical School. Her project will help improve the future management of allergy by “Investigating T follicular cell numbers and neuritin levels in patients with food allergy.” Read more…
	The AIFA Primary Immunodeficiencies Clinical Research Grant of $30,000 (supported by CSL Behring) was awarded to Professor Stuart Tangye, who works at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, for his project “SARS CoV2 infection and vaccination in inborn errors of immunity.” Read more...
	AIFA awarded another grant of $30,000 to A/Professor Cindy Ma at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research to explore “Harnessing primary immunodeficiencies to understand and treat human allergic disease.”  Read more...

Congratulations to all the successful Chief Investigators and their teams. We look forward to reporting the results of this important research at future ASCIA Conferences.

Thank you to our donors and sponsors for making it possible for AIFA to fund a total of $127,000 in research grants for 2021. Thank you also to our expert grant selection panel of clinical immunology/allergy specialists who volunteered their time in an extremely busy year.

The next AIFA research grant round will open in early 2022. There is still an unmet need to fund great research, which is waiting to happen. We also want to encourage early career investigators to apply for next year’s grants.

We need your support of future AIFA grants for allergy and clinical immunology research.

Please donate or sponsor a named grant. https://www.allergyimmunology.org.au/donate

29 January 2021: 

The Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) is the only Australasian charity that is specifically funding allergy and immunology research.  

AIFA is dedicated to advancing knowledge of the human immune system.  We are supporting innovative research for improved diagnosis, novel treatments and better health outcomes for people with allergy and other immune disease. We are encouraging early career researchers with projects that have the potential to translate to progress in clinical care.

How many AIFA research grants have been awarded?

Since 2014, when we began our grant process, AIFA has funded a total of 18 medical research projects, across 12 research institutions in four regions of Australia. Projects were awarded AIFA grants after a rigorous selection process, reviewed by a panel of leading experts in allergy and immunology research.

What is the unmet need for more allergy and immunology research?

Whilst we are proud of our growing achievement, the last six years have proven that there is unmet need for more research into allergy and other immune diseases that may lead to the improved diagnosis or treatment:

• AIFA has received 132 Expressions of Interest (EOIs) since 2014. This has amounted to $3,675,000 in funds requested.
• AIFA has awarded a total of $390,000 in grants. This is 10.6% of research grant funding that has been requested through our grant program.

How can you help us move allergy and immunology research forward?

The high quality of medical care we enjoy today is built upon years of medical research.  By donating to AIFA you can help to advance medical knowledge, improve patient care and save lives. 

You can become a community fundraiser or donate at www.allergyimmunology.org.au/donate

Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. about sponsoring a named grant.

We have come a long way but we have only just started the journey to fill the unmet need for research into allergy and immunology in Australia and New Zealand.