Skip to cookie consent Skip to main content

For Some Trick or Treaters, Food Allergies are a True Fear Factor. Here’s How Research at Mass General Brigham Could Help

A ghost with candy corn

Trick or treat season is here, and we sure do love some good candy (cue the Milk Duds and save us your thoughts on the Candy Corn debate—we get it, they’re an acquired taste)!

For some, the scariest part of Halloween season has nothing to do with costumes or haunted houses, it’s the food allergies.

Many of the most common food allergens—milk, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and eggs—are common in lots of candies, so parents often have to check the ingredients carefully before letting their kids dig into their Halloween haul.

At Mass General Brigham, researchers are working to find answers to unresolved questions about why and how food allergies occur. We asked some of them to tell us about their current research efforts and what motivates them to find better treatments.

Sarita Patil, MD

Can Superhero Antibodies Defend Us Against Allergic Reactions?

“One of our goals in the field of allergy treatment is to promote long-lasting tolerance to food allergens. My lab identified ‘superhero’ antibodies, that we call neutralizing antibodies, that can defend against allergic reactions by preventing allergy antibodies (IgE) from activating allergy cells. 

In clinical trials conducted at MGH's Food Allergy Center, we found that these superhero antibodies increased during oral immunotherapy treatments in both kids and adults, and that they provided long-lasting tolerance after stopping therapy. (Oral immunotherapy is a treatment that involves gradually increasing the amount of allergen that a patient consumes.)

We hope that our understanding of how these antibodies work on an atomic-ally awesome level will help us develop new clinical trials for better future treatments and tests."

Sarita Patil, MD
Investigator
Massachusetts General Hospital

Learn more about the MGH Food Allergy Center

Duane Wesemann, MD, PhD

The Mystery of the Persistent Peanut Allergy

"We were inspired to lanch a study into the persistent nature of peanut allergies, which often extend from childhood into adulthood. 

Despite advancements in allergy research, we still don’t fully understand why some individuals continue to produce anti-peanut IgE antibodies for decades.  

Our study is taking a closer look at the cells in bone marrow responsible for these long-lived antibody responses. By obtaining bone marrow samples from adults with peanut allergies, we aim to identify the cells that support sustained production of anti-peanut IgE antibodies. 

Ultimately, our goal is to uncover mechanisms behind the lifelong persistence of peanut allergy, which could pave the way for new treatments to improve quality of life for those affected."

Duane Wesemann, MD, PhD
Investigator
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Learn more about Dr. Wesemann’s study

Wayne Shreffler, MD, PhD

Fighting Back Against the Rise of Food Allergies

Food allergies continue to rise, despite efforts to introduce allergens earlier, which is a strategy we now know is very important. 

However, we still don’t fully understand why this increase is happening. 

My research group is working to identify the early life risk factors – genetic and environmental – that contribute to the risk of food allergies, eczema and other allergic reactions. 

We would like to learn more about factors that put very young children at higher risk for food allergies and eczema. 

In our current study we are recruiting expecting parents to learn more about the risk factors for food allergies that may be present before, during and after birth and through the age of three years. 

Wayne Shreffler, MD, PhD
Investigator
Massachusetts General Hospital

Learn more about Dr. Shreffler’s work