Chair Message
Dear Colleagues, Friends, and Supporters
It is an honor to serve as 2026 Chair of the AAAAI Foundation Council and to present our latest annual report which coincides with the launch of the Foundation’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan. This new chapter reflects our continued commitment to advancing research and supporting the next generation of allergy/immunology leaders. I would like to thank the entire Council for their dedication and tireless work through the process of developing this strategic plan.
I am pleased to welcome back to the Council, Nora Barrett, MD, FAAAAI, as the new vice chair. I look forward to her leadership in the years ahead. It is through the work of the Council members, the generous support of AAAAI members, and our industry partners, that we have made meaningful progress in funding promising young investigators.
Since 1993, $12,900,000 has been provided by the Foundation in major awards, and nearly $143,000,000 in federal grants have been bestowed on our award recipients after the Foundation provided initial support. To date, 55 of our 57 major awardees have continued their careers in allergy/immunology.
The generous support of the AAAAI for clinical, translational and basic science research has been instrumental in bringing advances in management and treatment for our patients. Novel therapeutics, now available to treat chronic diseases such as asthma, CSU, HAE, EoE, food allergies and nasal polyposis, have made a significant impact on patient care. In addition, introduction of artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape our approach to diagnostic testing, therapeutic strategies and novel approaches to research. All these accomplishments would not be possible without research contributions throughout our careers.
This past February, during the AAAAI Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, we had a successful Virtual Run/Walk & 14th Anniversary Celebration! Despite the need for a non-traditional event format, there was great energy and enthusiasm from our community, making this a truly memorable event. We offer continued thanks to our event sponsors Pharvaris and Takeda!
At our highly anticipated Annual Benefit, we announced the recipients of the 2026 Faculty Development Award and the AAAAI Foundation Bridge Award to Sustain Research Excellence. These outstanding early career investigators expressed their appreciation for the Foundation’s support enabling them to continue their work advancing research in allergy and immunology. Congratulations to this year’s awardees (you’ll find their names on the pages to follow.) We also offer our gratitude to our event sponsor Genentech!
As you are aware, funding for research goes beyond our specialty to all areas of public health. Currently, funding is being restricted institutionally and nationally. This is why the Foundation awards have never been so critical and impactful for junior investigators.
2026 Foundation Annual Benefit from left to right: Juan Carlos Cardet, MD, FAAAAI; Krishan Chhiba, MD, PhD; Yamini Virkud, MD, MA, MPH, FAAAAI; David P. Hoytema van Konijnenburg, MD, PhD; Sebastian Ochoa Gonzalez, MD
On behalf of the entire AAAAI Foundation team, thank you for your generous financial support and continued partnership. Now more than ever, your contributions are making a difference, strengthening the allergy/immunology specialty and ultimately improving care for our patients.
We encourage you to consider becoming a monthly donor - providing sustained support and enabling the Foundation to invest in critical research for years to come. We also ask that you please consider the AAAAI Foundation as part of your long-term philanthropic plans. By considering a legacy gift in your will, you can ensure that your commitment to advancing research will endure for generations to come.
Again, thank you for your continued commitment to the AAAAI Foundation, for being an essential part of our work, and for helping to shape the future of our specialty.
With gratitude for your support,
Sharon B. Markovics, MD, FAAAAI
Chair
Council Roster
AAAAI Foundation Council Roster 2026-2027
Sharon B. Markovics, MD, FAAAAI
Chair
Nora A. Barrett, MD, FAAAAI
Vice Chair
Leonard B. Bacharier, MD, FAAAAI
AAAAI President-Elect
Mariana C. Castells, MD, PhD, FAAAAI
AAAAI Secretary-Treasurer
Subcommittees
Annual Giving
Ulus Atasoy, MD, MA, FAAAAI
Chair
Raffi Tachdjian, MD, MPH, FAAAAI
Vice Chair
Faculty Development Awards
David D. Chaplin, MD, PhD, FAAAAI
Chair
James E. Gern, MD, FAAAAI
Vice Chair
Lectureships and Major Gifts
Mary Beth Fasano, MD, MSPH, FAAAAI
Chair
David A. Khan, MD, FAAAAI
Vice Chair
Research and Long-Range Planning
Elizabeth J. Phillips, MD, FIDSA, FAAAAI
Chair
David A. Hill, MD, PhD, FAAAAI
Vice Chair
Special Events
Basil M. Kahwash, MD, FAAAAI
Chair
Rebecca Scherzer, MD, FAAAAI
Vice Chair
Grants
2026 Faculty Development Awardees
2026 Faculty Development Awardees
Sebastian Ochoa Gonzalez, MD
Baylor College of Medicine
“Unlocking the Diagnostic Potential of Genome Sequencing for Inborn Errors of Immunity Through Analysis of Hidden Splice Variants”
David P. Hoytema van Konijnenburg, MD, PhD
Boston Children’s Hospital
“CD4+ T Cell – Alveolar Macrophage Interactions Control Lung Inflammation”
Krishan Chhiba, MD, PhD
Northwestern University
“Mast Cell Progenitors as Drivers and Biomarkers of Food Allergy”
2025 AAAAI Foundation Bridge Award to Sustain Research Excellence Awardees
Juan Carlos Cardet, MD, FAAAAI
University of South Florida
“Genetic Variation in the RGS Pathway, Airway Smooth Muscle Mechanophenotypes, and Asthma Morbidity Outcomes”
Yamini Virkud, MD, MA, MPH, FAAAAI
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Metabolomics of Immune Tolerance in Food Allergy”
“Receiving the 2026 AAAAI Foundation Faculty Development Award is an incredible honor, and I am deeply grateful to the Foundation and its generous donors for their investment in my future. This award provides critical support to launch my independent research career, giving me the time and resources to pursue impactful questions. Writing the grant required sustained focus and refinement, strengthening my scientific vision and ability to communicate impact. I am profoundly thankful for the opportunity and committed to putting in the work to ensure this support translates into meaningful discoveries and lasting contributions to allergy and immunology.”
Sebastian Ochoa Gonzalez, MD
2026 AAAAI Foundation Faculty Development Awardee
Baylor College of Medicine
“Unlocking the Diagnostic Potential of Genome Sequencing for Inborn Errors of Immunity Through Analysis of Hidden Splice Variants”
2025-2026 Faculty Development Awards Impact Study Results
$
0
has been provided by the Foundation in major awards since 1993
$
0
in federal grants have been granted to our award recipients after the Foundation provided initial support
55 of our 57
major awardees have continued their careers in allergy/immunology
2025 Faculty Development Awardees
Radomir Kratchmarov, MD, PhD
Brigham & Women's Hospital
“Defining Th2 Progenitor Cell Function in Chronic Allergic Disease”
Stephen A. Schworer, MD, PhD
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
“T2-Skewed Basal Cells Promote Small Airway Mucus Plugging in Asthma”
Simin Zhang, MD
University of Cincinnati
“Effect of Complement Proteins on Mast Cells and Fibroblasts in Eosinophilic Esophagitis”
2024 Faculty Development Awardees
Taylor Eddens, MD, PhD
University of Pittsburgh
“Neonatal Stem-Like CD4+ T Cells and Asthma Development After Early Life Viral Infection”
Matthew Krantz, MD
Vanderbilt University
Medical Center
“A Translational Bioinformatics Approach for Deep Phenotyping and Genetic Risk of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reaction”
Elise Liu, MD
Yale University
“Invariant Natural Killer T Cells in the Development of Food Allergies”
Erin Steinbach, MD, PhD
The University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Revealing the
Mechanisms of Increased Intestinal Epithelial Cell Barrier Permeability in
Peanut Allergy”
2023 Faculty Development Awardees
Santiago Alvarez-Arango, MD
John Hopkins University School of Medicine
“Pathogenesis of Non IgE-Mediated Immediate Drug Hypersensitivity Reactions”
Sara Barmettler, MD, FAAAAI
Massachusetts General Hospital
“Immunologic Impact and Risk for Infection in Patients with Secondary Hypogammaglobulinemia”
David Hill, MD, PhD, FAAAAI
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
“Contribution of Interferon-Mediated Epithelial Cell MHCII Expression to EoE”
Financials
2025
Corpus Value at End of 2025
$
0
Grants Paid Out in 2025
$
0
Revenue
$
0
Events
2026 Run/Walk Celebration and Virtual Run/Walk
Thank you to all who joined us for a fun and exciting day to support allergy/immunology research!
We would especially like to thank the following individuals, who put forward an immense effort to make the the AAAAI Foundation 14th Anniversary Run/Walk Celebration and Virtual Run/Walk a success!
2026 Run/Walk Subcommittee
Basil Kahwash, MD, FAAAAI (Chair)
Justin Greiwe, MD, FAAAAI (Vice Chair)
Joe Diaz, MD, FAAAAI
Amy Dowden, MD, FAAAAI
Bob Miyake, MD
Priya Bansal, MD, FAAAAI
Tanya Laidlaw, MD, FAAAAI
Anjali Jain, DO
Cozy Morton (Takeda)
Liz Fort (Takeda)
Cheryl Kaufman (Takeda)
Illean Zamlut (Pharvaris)
Thank you to Pharvaris and Takeda for their support of the AAAAI Foundation Run/Walk!
2026 Annual Benefit
Our guests at the 2026 Annual Benefit enjoyed dinner, entertainment and the presentation of the 2026 Faculty Development awardees and the 2025 AAAAI Foundation Bridge Award to Sustain Research Excellence awardees.
Thank you to Genentech for their ongoing support of the AAAAI Foundation Benefit.
lecturesHIPS
AAAAI Foundation Lectureships
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Foundation provides the opportunity to honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the allergy/immunology field with Named Lectureships presented at each AAAAI Annual Meeting. Lectureships are typically established by an AAAAI member interested in honoring a respected colleague or mentor, or a member wishing to contribute to the mission of the Foundation through the establishment of a Lectureship. All funds raised for Named Lectureships and Awards are invested in the AAAAI Foundation endowment, proceeds from which directly support young investigators through our annual Faculty Development Awards.
We are extremely grateful to have support for the AAAAI Foundation Lectureship Series from
We are excited to announce a new Lectureship will be presented at the 2027 Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
The Herbert C. Mansmann Jr., MD, FAAAAI and Stephen J. McGeady, MD, FAAAAI Lectureship
To learn more about our current Lectureships, including those with active fundraising campaigns, please visit the above link.
Grow Allergy & Immunology Now
GAIN
The GAIN (Grow Allergy & Immunology Now) Campaign, supported by BioCryst, was a great success in 2025! Because of your support, the annual fundraising campaign made it possible to fund three Faculty Development Awards and two Foundation Awards to Sustain Research Excellence (Bridge) in 2026.
Thank you to all of our supporters!
Total 2025 GAIN Campaign Funds Raised
$
0
We are extremely grateful to have support for the GAIN Campaign and RSL Challenge from
Donor Recognition
Thank you for all you do for the allergy/immunology specialty! We are incredibly grateful for your generous support this past year. Your contributions have profoundly impacted our ability to fulfill our mission to fund research and positively impact patient lives.
To honor and acknowledge your critical support, we have compiled a comprehensive list of AAAAI Foundation donors on our website. We invite you to explore the list and recognize the collective efforts that have driven our important work forward.
We are deeply grateful for your ongoing partnership and generosity. Your contributions made it possible for us to award five grants in 2026, furthering our mission and supporting meaningful progress. Thank you.
Staff
Becca Surges
Director, AAAAI Foundation & Research and Training Division
Katie Tetzlaff
Awards Program Manager
Nick Ouchie
Development Manager