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Southampton Allergy Centre (Southampton, England)

          

Southampton Allergy Centre

Our mission is to provide excellence in clinical care, research for patient benefit and education for all.

Southampton has an international reputation for scientific and patient based research in allergy and immunology. We have expertise in the clinical trials, epidemiology, diagnostic laboratory and scientific basis of food, drug, skin, eye, airway and paediatric allergies. Professor Hasan Arshad is the clinical and research lead. However, the department boasts a number of world leading physicians and scientists in allergy, asthma and immunology. These include Professors Sir Stephen Holgate, Ratko Djukanovic, John Holloway, Anthony Williams, and Graham Roberts and Drs Ramesh Kurukulaaratchy, Andrew Walls, Matt Loxham, and Hans Michael Haitchi. Our research covers birth cohorts, prevalence of food allergy, genetics and epigenetics of allergy, mechanisms of severe asthma, airway inflammation and remodelling, T cell and mast cell biology, novel treatments and interaction of air pollution and allergy. The childhood and adolescent research programmes include projects focused on (i) understanding the natural history of allergy, (ii) using allergen immunotherapy for asthma prevention and food allergy treatment and (iii) improving management of adolescents with asthma. Studies are undertaken in Southampton and at the David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre in the Isle of Wight.

The Southampton Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (AACI) service is a regional Comprehensive Care Centre for the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of patients with suspected allergic diseases, difficult asthma and immunodeficiency disorders. This service delivers an integrated program of care that encompasses both paediatric and adult provision, sharing a common ethos to deliver excellence in clinical care. The consultant team consists of 12 adult and 5 paediatric physicians leading a multidisciplinary team of specialist nurses, dietitians, physiotherapist, pharmacist and psychologist. The services are led by eminent physicians; Dr Liz Griffiths (Allergy), Dr Paddy Dennison (Severe Asthma), Dr Efrem Eren (Clinical Immunology) and Dr Mich Erlewyn-Lajeunesse (Paediatric Allergy). Allergy services include drug and food provocation testing, insect venom and aeroallergen immunotherapy and management of drug, contrast media and vaccine allergy. Clinical Immunology has developed National services for specialist disorders such as monogenic immunodeficiencies, eosinophilic esophagitis, IgG4 disease and hereditary angiodema. We have a large regional diagnostic laboratory to support the clinical services, research studies and clinical trials, with particular expertise in autoimmune diagnostics, allergen microarray analysis and basophil activation testing.

The online MSc Allergy programme, led by Professor Judith Holloway, provides formal teaching at certificate, diploma, MSc or standalone module level for UK and international students (nurses, primary care doctors, speciality trainees, consultants and dietitians). This gives the students a greater understanding of allergic diseases and how to provide better treatment for their patients.

Our core module, Foundation of Allergic Disease, gives a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms and management of allergic diseases. Optional specialist modules tailored to the need of the students include (1) Allergic Airways Disease, (2) Allergic Skin Disease, (3) Drug Allergy and   (4) Food Allergy. The Work Based Learning and Virtual Patient modules allow students to design their own learning experience and develop resources in allergy. We also deliver undergraduate allergy teaching which is included in the core medical student curriculum, as well as a 3 month educational learning module and a 4-week clinical placement in our Department. Further, the department hosts postgraduate training programmes in paediatric and adult allergy and clinical immunology which are approved by their respective Royal Colleges.

In line with the WAO’s mission that has seen the  development of extensive educational resources, position papers, recommendations for allergy training, undergraduate curriculum materials and the WAO White book on Allergy, the Southampton Allergy department would join hands in enhancing the knowledge of allergy and clinical immunology for practicing physicians, fellows, patients, families and healthcare practitioners across the world.  We would like to support and add to the WAO's educational and training programs via in person education, as well as e-learning, especially in emerging regions where access to high quality educational resources are limited and where improved education can translate into increased capacity building and improved allergy care.

Sir Stephen Holgate Founder	Professor Hasan Arshad Research and Clinical lead	Dr. Judith Holloway Education lead