How the nerves and immune system affect food allergies
Official title: The Role of Neuroimmune Pathways in Food Allergies
Funded at Food Allergy Science Initiative, INC. · NIH-11322733 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how the nervous system and immune system interact in people with food allergies to find better ways to prevent and treat reactions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Food Allergy Science Initiative, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | May 14, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,339,535 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI179273-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11322733 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with diagnosed food allergies — including children and adults who experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or anaphylaxis — would be the most relevant candidates to benefit or participate.
✕Less likely to help
People without food allergies or whose symptoms are caused by non-allergic conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
From my perspective, this program brings together labs to study how the gut lining, sensory nerves, and immune cells respond when someone is exposed to food allergens, using both lab and animal work tied to human disease. They will focus on nerve–immune signals that may cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and life‑threatening reactions. By integrating knowledge across fields, the team hopes to identify biological targets that could be turned into new treatments or ways to reduce reactions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that prevent or reduce dangerous and painful food-allergic reactions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research supports a role for nerve–immune interactions in allergy, but turning those findings into human treatments is still relatively new and active work.
Where this research is happening
-
Food Allergy Science Initiative, INC.
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Medzhitov, Ruslan — Food Allergy Science Initiative, INC.
- Study coordinator: Medzhitov, Ruslan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How gut nerves and immune cells interact in food allergy
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How mast cells trigger gut lining and nerve responses in food allergy
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How nerves and the immune system cause food allergy symptoms
This project explores how nerves and the immune system cause the symptoms people with food allergies feel, like nausea, breathing changes, and low blood pressure.
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Food allergy data hub
A centralized team will build online tools to analyze genetic and imaging data to help researchers studying food allergies and the people they treat.
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Custom genetically engineered mice for food allergy
This program creates specially modified mice to help scientists better understand and develop treatments for food allergies.
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Investigating how nerve and immune cells interact during food allergies
This study is looking at how nerve and immune cells in the gut work together when someone has a food allergy, hoping to find new ways to help manage and treat these allergies so that patients can better understand their reactions and feel better.
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.