Research Center: Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy & Asthma Research at Stanford University
Location: LPCH El Camino Hospital, 2500 Grant Road, Tower C, Rm 4C347, Mountain View, CA
Lead Doctor: Kari Nadeau, MD PhD
IRB Committee: This study has been reviewed and approved by the Stanford Institutional Review Board

Background

Food allergies affect about 8% of the total US population. About 40% of children with a food allergy have experienced a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction, and 30% report allergies to multiple foods.  There is an unmet need for new therapies in food allergy as many patients with food allergies are at risk for accidental reactions.

The purpose of this study is to see how certain immune cells in your body behave when you are given the food you are allergic to as a form of treatment (often called Oral Immunotherapy or OIT).  

We hope to learn how the food allergen affects people’s immune system differently between those people who can become able to eat the food, and those who cannot.

We would like to see if checking immune cells over time will help us predict if allergies will come back and how safe food allergy studies are. We also want to develop tools to help us better understand, identify, and predict how patients will respond to OIT.

This research study is looking for a total of 72 participants between 12 to 55 years of age, 36 participants with a proven allergy to cashew and 36 participants allergic to shrimp. Enrollment will only occur at Stanford.

Why Participate?

• You will be contributing to knowledge of allergic disease and the human immune system.  
• You may benefit from a decrease in the sensitivity to your allergens and improve your immune protection to the offending food allergens.
• The knowledge gained from this study may aid in the advancement and understanding of food allergies and help in the development of new approaches for its treatment or prevention.  

Your Rights

• Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary.
• If you decide to participate in the study and later feel that you no longer wish to be part of it, you may withdraw at any time after notifying Dr. Kari Nadeau at (650) 521 7237.
• Your records relating to this study and any other information received will be kept strictly confidential, except as required by law.
• Qualified health professionals will monitor your health as it relates to the study.

Who Can Participate?

• Males and females aged 12-55 years old with proven shrimp or cashew allergy
• Have NOT been hospitalized for asthma in the past year
• Participants should expect to have 21 visits to the clinic throughout the study period of 70 weeks.