MCRI AllergyPal has been co-developed by two of Australia’s leading paediatric allergists and researchers at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Victoria, Prof Katie Allen and Prof Mimi Tang.
The founders experience helping parents of children with food allergies and published research shows that:
- When an allergic reaction occurs, parents and carers often cannot recall the most appropriate first aid steps leading to an under use of Adrenaline Auto Injectors (AAIs). This is the leading cause of anaphylaxis related deaths in children and teenagers.
- The stress and worry that comes with caring for a child with a food allergy has a significant impact on quality of life reported by parents.
Professor Mimi Tang
Professor Mimi Tang has an international and national profile in the field of allergic and immune deficiency disorders, and has shown strong intellectual leadership and contribution to this field of research. Evidence of this leadership is shown by her participation on relevant international and national expert and peer review committees, as well as contributions to health policy.
Professor Tang is an expert consultant to the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, on issues related to anaphylaxis management policy in school and day care settings. She also works with Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA to develop resources to support health professionals in anaphylaxis management as well as educational resources for people diagnosed with or at risk of anaphylaxis and their families or carers.
Professor Tang has more than 20 years' experience in the investigation of basic immunological mechanisms underlying allergic disease pathogenesis, and correlation of mechanistic studies with clinical outcomes. She has worked in the field of probiotics, prebiotics and gut microbiota for the past 10 years and has expertise in the investigation of gut microbiota changes in allergic disease. She is also a leader in the field of primary immune deficiency in the Asia Pacific region.
Over the course of her career, Professor Tang has authored over 190 peer reviewed journal articles, invited reviews, and book chapters.
Professor Tang has demonstrated an ongoing and continued involvement in teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate University of Melbourne students, as well as the supervision of advanced trainees in specialist Immunology Allergy physician training
Awards
INTERNATIONAL
- 1995: International Fellowship Award, Pharmacia
- 1995: Research Fellowship Award, Allen and Hanbury's Research Institute ** First time awarded to a Non-US Citizen
- 1996: Presidents Grant-in-Aid Award, American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology ** First time awarded to a Non-US Citizen
NATIONAL
- 2009: Most Appropriate Care Award, Victorian Public Healthcare, Department of Health
- 1998: Clinical Investigator Award, Australian Society of Clinical Immunology Allergy
- 1994: Fulbright Fellowship (deferred), Australian-American Fulbright Commission
- 1991 - 1994: Postgraduate Research Scholarship, National Health & Medical Research Council
- 1993: JJ Billings Fellowship, Royal Australasian College of Physicians
- Nestle Travel Scholarship, Australian College of Paediatrics 1993
- 1992: Young Investigator Award, Australian Society of Clinical Immunology Allergy
Professor Katie Allen
Professor Katie Allen is a paediatric gastroenterologist and allergist undertaking research in the evolving field of food allergy. The food allergy burden is immense and ranges from the extreme consequences of anaphylaxis to the everyday restrictions placed on children, their families and the community, and Professor Allen's vision is to prevent food allergy in Australian children.
Katie is also an inaugural Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health.
Awards
2012: Selected as one of “Ten of the Best NHMRC funded health and medical research successes" for Career Development Award 2006-2011
2012: Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
2005: Selected as one of “Ten of the Best NHMRC funded health and medical research successes" for Allen KJ, Delatycki MB* et al. Use of community screening to prevent HFE-associated hereditary haemochromatosis.
Devlopment
Curve Tomorrow
Founded in 2009, Curve Tomorrow is a technology company that is passionate about changing the direction of health. Curve Tomorrow started in Melbourne, Australia and in 2014 expanded to Silicon Valley, California and more recently to Perth, India, Sri Lanka and France. Curve Tomorrow are embedded within a world leading hospital working side by side with health professionals, researchers and patients.