# Mount Sinai's CoFAR Clinical Research Center

> **NIH NIH U01** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2024 · $389,999

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
MOUNT SINAI’S CoFAR CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER
Food allergy is estimated to affect approximately 8% of children and 10% of adults; in
the US this translates to 32 million people. Food allergy is potentially life-threatening,
significantly impacts quality of life and nutrition, and carries a high economic burden.
Although significant advances have been made for prevention and therapy, prevalence
rates remain high and therapeutic options are few. The long-term goals of CoFAR are to
develop effective strategies to prevent and treat food allergies, and to elucidate
underlying mechanisms. As the leadership center (LC) for CoFAR from 2005 to 2015,
and as a CoFAR Clinical Research Center (CRC) for 17 years, we are the only CRC to
have contributed to every CoFAR study, trial, and supplemental projects, with leadership
roles in 9 projects, including the current SUNBEAM birth cohort study. The objectives of
CoFAR CRCs is to conduct network-wide studies and trials and center-specific projects
to advance knowledge, management and treatment across a range of food-allergic
diseases, and to elucidate underlying mechanisms. The Mount Sinai CRC team has
been successfully and safely conducting food allergy research since 1997. The CRC PI,
Scott Sicherer, MD, brings broad experience having been site PI for all of the past
CoFAR interventional trials, as well as being Protocol Chair of the CoFAR observational
study and Co-Chair of SUNBEAM. Co-Investigators Drs. Wang and Bunyavanich (who
serves as chair for the SUNBEAM biosampling program) have served as successful PIs
on clinical trials. Early stage investigators on the team will benefit from their involvement
to become the next generation of leaders in food allergy research. Our CRC
laboratories have been the central biomarker facility for CoFAR and easily manage
biological samples at the direction of the LC. The CRC is located in Manhattan, with
access to an extensive base of potential participants; it has safely conducted >30,000
oral food challenges and has a superb record of study recruitment and retention. To
increase opportunities to contribute to CoFAR’s goals, a Network-wide clinical trial is
proposed to improve safety and allow dietary incorporation of common allergens;
preliminary data suggest that potentially half of people living with IgE-mediated food
allergy may benefit. Two site-specific studies will inform achieving better engagement of
participants in food allergy research, and inform pathogenesis and course of food allergy
through a novel, non-invasive approach. In summary, the Mount Sinai CoFAR CRC
brings extensive resources and experience to ensure that the goals of CoFAR, at the
direction of the LC, Steering Committee and NIAID, are met.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10861536
- **Project number:** 1U01AI181883-01
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** SCOTT H SICHERER
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $389,999
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-03-08 → 2031-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10861536

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10861536, Mount Sinai's CoFAR Clinical Research Center (1U01AI181883-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10861536. Licensed CC0.

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