Allergic reactions to alpha-gal in mammal-derived foods and medicines
Official title: IgE antibodies to the mammalian oligosaccharide galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose (alpha-gal): immunology, epidemiology and relevance to allergic and inflammatory disease
Funded at University of Virginia · NIH-11097384 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at why some adults get delayed allergic reactions to red meat and certain medicines after tick exposure and how to better detect and manage those reactions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 1984 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $982,802 |
| NIH project number | 5R37AI020565-41 |
| Project ID | NIH-11097384 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have delayed allergic reactions after eating mammal meat, those with suspected alpha-gal syndrome, or people with a history of relevant tick bites are the best matches.
✕Less likely to help
Children, people whose food allergies are clearly unrelated to mammal products, or those without evidence of alpha-gal IgE are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers will follow adults who have delayed allergic reactions after eating mammal products and collect blood samples and exposure histories. They will use blood tests for alpha-gal IgE and advanced cell analysis (spectral flow) to compare immune responses in alpha-gal syndrome versus other food allergies. The team will screen foods and medical products such as antivenoms and heparin for alpha-gal contamination. They will also track where tick exposures are happening and how changes in tick range relate to new cases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve diagnosis, clarify which foods and medicines are risky, and lead to better guidance for people with alpha-gal syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has already linked alpha-gal IgE to tick bites and developed diagnostic blood tests, but screening of foods/medicines and detailed cellular immune studies are less established.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Platts-Mills, Thomas a. — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Platts-Mills, Thomas a.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.