Understanding how early skin biology affects the development of allergies in children
Official title: SUNBEAM2 Gap Supplement
Funded at National Jewish Health · NIH-11580964 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study with infants and young children aims to understand why some kids with eczema (atopic dermatitis) go on to develop food allergies and asthma, by looking at skin biology and immune patterns still early in life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Jewish Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | September 4, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $398,503 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AI173502-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11580964 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are infants with atopic dermatitis or a strong family history of allergic diseases who can be followed over several years.
✕Less likely to help
Children without eczema or a family history of allergies may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This project follows children from infancy to explore how skin inflammation and barrier function relate to the future development of allergic diseases like food allergies and asthma. Researchers will examine skin endotypes and genetic factors to see what makes certain children more likely to progress along the allergic march. By combining human pediatric samples with animal model findings, they hope to identify early signaling patterns that predict who will develop additional allergies. The goal is to uncover mechanisms that could guide prevention or early interventions for at-risk children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to earlier identification of children at risk for multiple allergies and inform strategies to prevent progression.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior work suggests skin inflammation and barrier defects contribute to allergen sensitization, but progression patterns in infancy are not well defined.
Where this research is happening
-
National Jewish Health
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seibold, Max a — National Jewish Health
- Study coordinator: Seibold, Max a
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.