Centers of Excellence

Centers

Countries

Continents

Unifying Care, Advancing Allergy Excellence Globally

WAO

Centers of Excellence

WAO Centers of Excellence (COE) intensify and accelerate multidisciplinary scientific and clinical innovation, education, and advocacy worldwide providing excellence in education, research, training to various stakeholders in allergy, asthma and clinical immunology.

WAO Centers of Excellence are represented by
82 Centers • 34 countries • 6 continents... and counting

Application Process

Application Process

Applications to apply for recognition as a WAO Center of Excellence are CLOSED and all applicants will be notified of a decision in Spring 2024. Please contact WAOCoE@worldallergy.org with any inquiries.

Criteria for World Allergy Organization Center of Excellence (WCOE) selection and renewal:
A WAO Center of Excellence (COE) is identified as a multidisciplinary group, based in an academic institution, encompassing three or more subspecialties, with the following components:

The WCOE should have a clear mission in line with WAO’s mission with the purpose and aims for advancing allergy, asthma and clinical immunology as a multidisciplinary field.
The WCOE should have a well-established organization with good governance and infrastructure and recognized mentors in allergy, asthma and clinical immunology.
The WCOE should have diverse faculty representing three or more clinical subspecialties.

A WAO Center of Excellence should be proficient in the following areas:

Research: Specifically in basic and clinical research, with goals for multidisciplinary activities.
Clinical Aspects: Have recognized programs engaged in allergy, asthma and clinical immunology, and proposed goals for multidisciplinary activity and clinical innovation. Ideally is also involved in national or international patient registry(ies).
Basic Science: Should have recognized MSc or PhD programs engaged in allergy, asthma and clinical immunology, and proposed goals for multidisciplinary activity and innovation.
Education and Training: Present a clearly articulated and recognized education/training program serving the mission of WAO.
Networking / Advocacy: The center must prove involvement with advocacy activities at the national or international level (i.e., programming, education) with patients, patient groups, lay community, and/or government.

The continuation as a COE will be revised every five years. To keep the status as a COE the center must demonstrate the following requisites:

At least 4 peer-reviewed publications related to allergy and immunology during the previous three years
At least 2 graduate students finished training at the center
Having obtained at least one grant for basic or clinical research
Having organized or participated in three independent (of WAO) advocacy activities
Having actively participated in World Allergy Week, which is organized by WAO
Having organized at least three academic activities (seminars, short courses, congresses, workshops) related to allergy and immunology

The benefits of becoming a WAO Centers of Excellence include:

Opportunity to collaborate with WAO on educational programs and suggest topics for educational resources
Provide scientific support in the development and dissemination of global educational resources
Opportunity to network with other centers of excellence to form international relationships and partnerships, which may include joint mentorship, research fellowships, etc. with other leading centers globally
The Center receives an engraved Plaque as a proof of its status as a WAO Center of Excellence.

WAO Past-President, Prof. Motohiro Ebisawa, next to the WAO CoE plaque for Sagamihara National Hospital (Sagamihara, Japan), a 2018 WAO Center of Excellence

Sagamihara National Hospital (Sagamihara, Japan)

Sagamihara National Hospital has a long history for Allergy practice and research since 1960’s, and has had the Research Center for Allergy since 1973. The Research Center was officially appointed as the National Allergy Center by our government in the year of 2000. The Clinical Research Center consists of 5 departments which include Clinical Allergy Departments for Adult and Children. In addition, the two major departments collaborate with Dermatology and ENT departments.

The Department Allergy for Adult is currently managed by Dr. Masami Taniguchi. He is one of the leading researchers in the field of Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) in the world. The Department of Allergy for Children is managed by Dr. Motohiro Ebisawa, who is a world class clinical researcher in the field of Food Allergy. Both departments regularly publish numerous papers on international journals such as JACI, JACI IP, Allergy, PAI, CEA, IAA, and Allergol Int etc. In addition, they accept and train domestic young doctors interested in the field of Allergy. The Clinical Allergy Department for Children has a lot of visitors from abroad (Korea, Taiwan, China, Thailand etc.) to learn oral food challenge and oral immunotherapy for food allergy.