Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research

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Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research

The Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR) is an interdisciplinary and collaborative re

11/12/2025

Our CFAAR team member Sarah had a great time connecting at the Illinois Association for Infant Mental Health (IL AIMH) Conference on November 7 at Moraine Valley Community College! 💜

This year’s theme, “The Power of Supporting Parenting: Bridging Research and Practice,” highlighted innovative, evidence-based approaches to strengthening families and promoting infant and early childhood mental health, a mission that aligns closely with the work we do at CFAAR.

11/11/2025

Such a great event last night! 💜 The Reframing the Food Allergy Narrative panel sparked thoughtful conversation around communication, awareness, and public perception in the food allergy community. Huge thanks to for hosting this inspiring discussion! Thank you to all 3 panelists: Tiffany, Annie and Debbie and those who joined us in-person and virtually!

11/09/2025

💙 Big News! We just aired on ABC 7 Chicago! Such a meaningful conversation on Our Chicago with Tanja Babich and Natalie Hnatiuk, MS, RN, CBC .baby

We talked about:
• Why food allergies are rising 🥜
• How eczema + the skin barrier play a role
• The latest research in prevention and treatment
• Insights from my new book Baby’s Skin Health
• And the science behind Yobee — our probiotic scalp + skin care line

🎥 Watch the full segment here:
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-food-allergies-treatments-possible-prevention/18127253/

🎁 📖FREE today! Get your e-book copy of Baby’s Skin Health:
👉 https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/A9C509F6-6B51-4383-9C3F-448EF9A4681D

Or just comment SKIN and we’ll send you the link directly💛

11/08/2025

Tune in LIVE on ABC 7 Chicago this Sunday! 💙

Dr. Ruchi Gupta will be joining Tanja Babich and Natalie Hnatiuk, MS, RN, CBC on Our Chicago to discuss eczema, food allergies, and what every family should know.

🗓 Sunday, November 9
⏰ 8:45 AM CT
📺 ABC 7 Chicago

We’ll be diving into:
-Are food allergies truly on the rise?
-How eczema and the skin barrier influence allergy development
-New research reshaping food allergy prevention and treatment
-And a preview of my new book, Baby’s Skin Health, plus insights from Yobee, our probiotic scalp + skin care line.

This is an important and eye-opening conversation for parents, caregivers, and anyone navigating allergies or eczema.

🎉On Sunday only, get your E-book copy of Dr. Ruchi’s new book, Baby’s Skin Health for FREE!
👉Find our book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/6ovb5z4
👉Or Comment SKIN and I’ll send you the link!

We hope you will join us! 🌟

11/06/2025

Huge congratulations to our incredible colleagues recognized at the 2025 FARE Summit!

🏆 Grayson Crabtree ( ) — Best Comprehensive Allergen-Free Dining Program
 🤝 Olga Goumas () — Best Collaborative Approach to Food Allergy Management
 🌟 Emme Perry, former CFAAR Scholar ( ) — launched a CFAAR CAFAE (College Advocates for Food Allergy Awareness & Education) chapter at UNE, where 90% of dining staff are trained in food allergy safety!

⭐️ Braxton, former CFAAR Ambassador, was awarded the Student Advocate Award for his involvement in food allergy advocacy, including creating the Food Allergy Club at his high school.

Safe schools = safe college students. 💪
 Want to raise food allergy awareness on your campus? Let CFAAR & guide you through the step-by-step process to start a CAFAE chapter today!

11/05/2025

Dr Ruchi Gupta was honored to speak at the New York Allergy & Asthma Society meeting hosted by 🤍Thank you to Dr. Perdita Permaul for the warm welcome and leadership!

Dr. Ruchi had the opportunity to share updates on food allergy prevalence, prevention, and treatment, alongside amazing colleagues including: Dr. Erik Wambre, Dr. Evelyn Capellan Durante, Dr. Sarbjoit Saini and Dr. Wanda Phipatanakul.

Dr. Ruchi got to reconnecting with our former CFAAR team member, Eirene Fithian, now an MD Candidate at Weill Cornell! We are so proud to see her continuing to lead and inspire in allergy and asthma research working under Dr. Permaul! 💙

It was a great weekend connecting with the incredible students, residents, fellows, and faculty who are pushing the field forward. Plus, Dr. Ruchi got to spend a fun weekend in New York with her son 🍎🌃

Advancing science is a team effort, and this community is doing it.

11/03/2025

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! 📢 Ready to make a real impact on public health?

Apply today for the CFAAR Scholars Program, a 7 week, full-time, paid internship opportunity from June 15 to July 31, 2026. This program focuses on epidemiological, clinical, and community-based research, offering hands-on experience that goes beyond the lab. 💜

What you’ll gain:
📞Hands-on experience in study recruitment and data management.
📖Skills in conducting literature reviews.
📊The opportunity to develop and present a scientific poster.
👩‍⚕️Weekly didactic sessions to strengthen public speaking and critically engage with public health injustices.

Who should apply? 🎓Enthusiastic undergraduate, graduate, and medical students (or recent undergrads) from all majors who can commit to the full, in-person program.

🗓️Applications close: February 1, 2026. Don’t miss this chance to gain a holistic foundation in health to guide your career as an advocate, clinician, or investigator.

Apply today! 🔗 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeN9oLC5t2WA_RWUutcrVulA3dMDdJdAXZZKMpVV9QuOdnUkw/viewform

10/31/2025

SNAP Benefits are at risk, starting Nov 1. 🚨

Over 40 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, and for families simultaneously dealing with food allergies (over 30 million Americans!), the challenge of finding safe, nourishing food is an immediate crisis. The interruption of federal SNAP funds on November 1st will severely impact millions of families. At CFAAR, we are here to support families facing food insecurity & food allergies. We need your help NOW to fill the gap.

How you can help immediately:
🍎Donate Allergy-Friendly Foods: Food pantries are bracing for massive demand. Safe food is more critical than ever!

Volunteer: Help our partners like the Greater Chicago Food Depository: ,FOODiversity: and Feeding America pack, sort, and distribute food.

Swipe to find organizations on the front lines. Reach out to the CFAAR team for more information and resources!

10/31/2025

Our CFAAR team brought the Halloween fun to the CRU clinic today! 🧡🕸️ Costumes, laughter, and lots of festive spirit!

Happy Halloween from our clinical team! 🎃

10/31/2025

Have a Happy and Safe from CFAAR!

Remember these safety tips:
1. Bring
2. Avoid eating treats along the way
3. Inspect candy
4. Read ALL labels
5. Bring extra/safe treats to parties!

Check out our FUN OVER FEAR- Halloween Webinar on our YouTube Channel! Learn our tips about being safe while Trick Or Treating! 🎃🧡https://youtu.be/H0virc5poXI?si=LXmQf-sup2sjd47X

10/28/2025

🌟Check out Baby’s Skin Health: A Parent’s Guide to Smart Skin Care and Allergy Prevention written by CFAAR’s Dr. Ruchi Gupta and Michael Yang, MSc and Dr. Elisa Song and Dr. Peter Lio!

This essential guide translates the latest science on skin, the microbiome, and early feeding into simple, practical steps. Inside, you will learn how to:
✅ Protect and strengthen your baby’s skin barrier
✅ Support the microbiome for skin, gut, and immune health
✅ Build routines to prevent eczema, dryness, and irritation
✅ Introduce foods to lower the risk of allergies
✅ Choose the right bathing, clothing, and sun care practices

Blending science with compassion, this book empowers you with the knowledge to nurture healthy skin, support a strong immune system, and lower the risk of allergies, helping babies thrive today and for years to come.

Order your copy on Amazon starting TODAY! 📖💜

🔗: https://a.co/d/6ovb5z4

10/20/2025

Southwest… have you gone nuts? FARE is deeply concerned by Southwest Airlines’ plan to serve pistachios onboard beginning in January. As a tree nut allergen, pistachios pose serious risks to passengers with life-threatening nut allergies. While no travel environment can be completely allergen-free, adding a common allergen to in-flight service without clear mitigation measures is alarming. We urge Southwest to implement transparent protocols, allow early boarding for passengers to clean seats and surfaces, and ensure every aircraft carries an epinephrine administration option appropriate for food allergy reactions.

We encourage our community to make their voices heard, contact Southwest Airlines and share how this decision impacts your ability to travel safely. Together, we can push for policies that protect all passengers.

Address

750 N. Lakeshore Drive
Chicago, IL
60611

Website

https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/cfaar/

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