World Allergy Organization

Unifying Care, Advancing Allergy Excellence Globally

WAO

Advancing clinical care in allergy globally.

The World Allergy Organization (WAO) is an international umbrella organization whose members consist of 111 regional and national allergology and clinical immunology societies from around the world. By collaborating with member societies, WAO provides direct educational outreach programs, symposia and lectureships to members in nearly 100 countries around the globe. For your National Allergy Society to become a WAO Member Society, you must complete an application.

The organization was founded in 1951 and has successfully organized 29 major congresses. WAO also sponsors scientific symposia in developing areas throughout the world and jointly sponsors postgraduate programs on allergy and clinical immunology during professional, non-allergy association congresses.

WAO History Project

History of the World Allergy Organization

The seeds of the World Allergy Organization were sown in 1951 when leaders in allergy from all over the world came together to form the International Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (IAACI). To celebrate the 60-year Diamond Anniversary of this vibrant and global organization, the World Allergy Organization Journal (WAO Journal) published a series of articles written by WAO’s past and present leaders. The list below includes links to PDFs of the full text articles published in the WAO Journal.

Values

Values

Mission
The World Allergy Organization’s mission, as a world-wide alliance of allergy and clinical immunology societies, is to be a global resource and advocate for the specialty, advancing awareness and excellence in clinical care through education, research, and training.

Vision
The present vision for WAO is to remain committed to the progress of Allergy and Clinical Immunology for the benefit of patients all over the world through:


• Continued support of WAO’s Mission and extending the effect of the mission.

• Raise the profile of training and research to enhance academic content of WAO.

• Develop efficient means of administering Board activities.

• Improvement of allergy care in developing countries and deprived areas of the world.

• Enhance the recognition and function of WAO.

Mission
The World Allergy Organization’s mission, as a world-wide alliance of allergy and clinical immunology societies, is to be a global resource and advocate for the specialty, advancing awareness and excellence in clinical care through education, research, and training.

Vision
The present vision for WAO is to remain committed to the progress of Allergy and Clinical Immunology for the benefit of patients all over the world through:

• Continued support of WAO’s Mission and extending the effect of the mission.
• Raise the profile of training and research to enhance academic content of WAO.
• Develop efficient means of administering Board activities.
• Improvement of allergy care in developing countries and deprived areas of the world.
• Enhance the recognition and function of WAO.
WAO Mission

Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Executive Committee

Bryan Martin
Bryan MartinPRESIDENT
Biography
Medicine and Pediatrics
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH, United States


Dr. Bryan Martin is an Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. At Ohio State, Dr. Martin previously served as the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, the Designated Institutional Official, and the Associate Medical Director of University Hospital. Before becoming Associate Dean, Dr. Martin was the Chief of the Allergy and Immunology Section, and the Director of the Allergy and Immunology Fellowship. Prior to his arrival at Ohio State University, Dr. Martin spent 28 years in the United States Army, retiring from the military as a Colonel in 2008. His last military assignment was at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, where he served in such capacities as the Chair of the Department of Allergy and Immunology, Director of the National Capital Consortium Allergy Immunology Fellowship, Specialty Consultant to the Army Surgeon General for Allergy, Immunology and Immunizations and Founding Associate Director of the National Vaccine Healthcare Centers Network. In all, Dr. Martin has been a program director in Allergy and Immunology for over 16 years.

Active in Organized Medicine at all levels, Dr. Martin is the past Chair of the International Collaboration in Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (iCAALL), Past President of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and past Chair of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Allergy and Immunology Residency Review Committee. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and as a member of the Food and Drug Administration Allergenic Products Advisory Committee. 

A Distinguished Fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Dr. Martin is the author of over 60 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. He is the recipient of a number of national awards to include: the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Parker J. Palmer “Courage to Teach” Award for innovative teaching and health care as a program director (2012); the Lewis Aspey Mologne Award, the Army Surgeon General’s Award for Military Academic Excellence, given annually to the Army Medical Corps officer who best exhibits a balance between outstanding leadership in military medicine and leadership in academics at a national level (2006); and the Order of Military Medical Merit, which recognizes distinguished service, the highest standards of integrity and moral character, an outstanding degree of professional competence (2001). Dr. Martin has also been inducted as a member of the Ohio Veteran's Hall of Fame. 

Dr. Martin did his Internal Medicine Residency at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, TX, where he was selected to be the Chief Resident, and his Allergy Immunology Fellowship at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center, in Denver, CO.
Mário Morais-Almeida
Mário Morais-AlmeidaPRESIDENT-ELECT
Biography
Allergy Center
Hospital CUF-Descobertas

Lisbon, Portugal

Mário Morais-Almeida is the Head of the Immunoallergy Department of CUF-Descobertas Hospital (World Allergy Organization Center of Excellence) and CUF-Infante Santo Hospital, Lisbon, since 2003; apart the supervision of the department activities, he dedicates more than twenty hours per week to clinical activity in the out-patient section of the Allergy Center.

He graduated from the Lisbon School of Medicine in 1986 and became Specialist in Allergy and Immunology in 1994 and senior consultant since 2002, being also specialist in in Health Units Management since 2003. Dr. Morais-Almeida has a Master in Respiratory Diseases and recently submitted a PhD thesis to NOVA Medical School in Lisbon. He is a collaborator of the Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Oporto Faculty of Medicine, since 2012.

He is a past-president of the Portuguese Association of Asthmatic Patients (2016-2019), and served as president of the Portuguese Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2005-2013), the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Board of the Portuguese Medical Association (2003-2006), the Luso-Brazilian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2009-2010), the South European Allergy Societies (2011), and vice president of the Latin American Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society (2013-2015) and of the Lung Portuguese Foundation (2010-2012).

He served on government and nongovernmental committees, namely the National Observatory on Respiratory Diseases, GINA and ARIA initiatives and the National Commission of Asthma, being a regular Consultant of several Portuguese Ministry of Health Departments since 1996. He is co-coordinator of the Portuguese guidelines on Asthma management and Anaphylaxis registration, management and referral, being member of the work group responsible for the Portuguese Catalog of Allergies and Adverse Reactions. 

He has authored several articles and book chapters in national and international scientific publications and have special research interest in respiratory and food allergy, epidemiology and environmental risk factor for allergic diseases, from pre-school age to the elderly.

Dr. Morais-Almeida was elected as a Member at Large to the WAO Board of Directors in 2018. He is currently the President-Elect of WAO.
Gary W.K. Wong
Gary W.K. WongSECRETARY-GENERAL / TREASURER
Biography
Department of Paediatrics
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Prince of Wales Hospital
Hong Kong

Gary WK Wong is Professor, Department of Paediatrics and School of Public Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he has been working for 20 years. He is a member of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) Board of Directors, an assembly member of the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), a steering committee member of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) research group, and Past President of the Asia-Pacific Association of Pediatric Allergy, Respirology and Immunology (APAPARI).

Dr. Wong also participates actively in paediatric and medical communities in Hong Kong. He is current Council member of the Hong Kong Society of Respirology (HKSPR) and Chair of the Asthma Focus Group of the HKSPR.

Dr. Wong obtained his undergraduate medical education from the University of Alberta, Canada. He subsequently received fellowship training at University of British Columbia, and Children’s Hospital of British Columbia and visiting Fellowship at the Children’s Hospital at Munich, Germany. He was a research fellow in 2001 at the Children’s Hospital in Munich.

Dr. Wong has strong interest in different aspects of allergic and autoimmune diseases. His main research interests are treatment, prevention, and control of allergic conditions including asthma, childhood wheezing disorders, and food allergies. In particular, he is interested the immunological and environmental determinants of asthma and related allergic disorders.

He has published over 280 original articles, review papers, and book chapters in the field of asthma and related atopic conditions. Among other duties within several editorial boards, Dr. Wong is Associate Editor of New England Journal of Medicine, board member of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, and Chief Editor of Pediatric Respirology and Critical Care Medicine.
Motohiro Ebisawa
Motohiro EbisawaPAST-PRESIDENT

Biography
Clinical Research Center for Allergy & Rheumatology National Hospital Organization
Sagamihara National Hospital
Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan

Motohiro Ebisawa is the Director of Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, Sagamihara National Hospital and the Professor of the Jikei University School of Medicine. He graduated from the Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo in 1985 and took short visiting resident course in the department of Pediatrics at St. Thomas Hospital in London, UK.

He completed his postgraduate course at the Jikei University School of Medicine, where he earned his PhD. He did postdoctoral fellowship on the analysis of “eosinophil selective recruitment” in Dr. Robert P. Schleimer’s laboratory at Johns Hopkins University from 1991-1993. He also had a chance to visit Dr. Hugh Sampson’s food allergy unit regularly during his fellowship. After coming back to Japan, he started food allergy practice and research at Sagamihara National Hospital since 1995.

He has published more than 250 papers on international journals in addition to numerous numbers on domestic ones. He is a leading expert in food allergies in Japan and currently serves as the President of Japanese Society of Allergology and Asian Pacific Academy of Pediatric Allergy, Respirology and Immunology. He is the Past-President of WAO. He also serves as associate editor of PAI, JACI G, and COACI.
Ignacio J. Ansotegui
Ignacio J. AnsoteguiCOUNSELOR

Biography
Department of Allergy and Immunology
Hospital Quirónsalud Bizkaia 
Bilbao, Spain

Ignacio J. Ansotegui M.D., Ph.D.
Head of Department of Allergy and Immunology at Hospital Quironsalud Bizkaia, Bilbao, Spain
Executive Medical Director of the World Allergy Organization (WAO)
Counselor of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) Treasurer of Global Association of Asthma (INTERASMA)
Member of the Board of Directors of the Latin-American Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (SLAAI)


TRAINING
After finishing his medical studies at the University of Basque Country in Bilbao, Ignacio J. Ansotegui moved to the Department of Immunology and Department of Clinical Immunology at the Karolinska Institute and Karolinska Hospital of Stockholm, respectively. He completed his Spanish PhD studies in Sweden, specializing in Immunology. Later, at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, he got his second specialty in Allergology and Clinical Immunology. He is also specialist in Occupational Medicine


CURRENT AND PREVIOUS POSITION

Dr. Ansotegui is the Head of the Department of Allergy and Immunology at Hospital Quironsalud Bizkaia in Bilbao, Spain and also currently serves as Counselor of the World Allergy Organization (WAO), Treasurer of the Global Asthma Association (INTERASMA), and is a Member of the Board of Director of the Latin-American Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (SLAAI).

After five years in Sweden and six years in Italy, Ignacio J. Ansotegui returned to Spain in 1996 and created the Immunoallergy Laboratory at the Santiago Apostol Hospital in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Later, between 2007 and 2010, he was appointed as Consultant Allergist and Clinical Immunologist at Royal Hospitals as well as Honorary Senior Lecturer at Queen’s University of Belfast, UK.

Dr. Ansotegui has chaired the Research Committee of the Latin-American Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (SLAAI). Previously he served as Vice-chair (2009-2010) and Chair (2011-2012) of Iberian Chapter and member of the Board of Directors of SLAAI (2013-2014). Dr Ansotegui was Secretary General of INTERASMA from 2003 to 2006 and he also was Member at Large (2001 to 2003), 2nd Vice President (2003 –2005), Historian (2005 to 2007) and Chair of Ethics Committee (2007-2010) of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI). Between 2008 and 2017 he has also been secretary of the European CME Accreditation Committee. In 2008, he was the President of the European Congress of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that was held in Barcelona. In the World Allergy Organization, Dr. Ansotegui served for four years as member at large of the Board of Directors, two years as Secretary General, two years as President Elect of the Organization and has been President of the Organization 2018-2019.

In 2007, he received the Distinguished Clinical Services Award from the Argentinean Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and was honored with the International Distinguished Fellow Award from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. In 2014, he has been awarded as Honorary Member of the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology, and one year later, Honorary Member of the Georgian Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology. Recently he has also been awarded as Honorary Member of the Lebanese Society of Allergy and Immunology and Honorary Member of the Argentinean Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology.


MAIN LECTURES AND PUBLICATIONS
Ignacio J. Ansotegui has published over 200 peer reviewed articles in respected journals including Science, Journal Experimental Medicine, Biochemical Journal, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Allergy, Journal of Investigational and Clinical Allergy, Clinical Experimental Allergy, Cellular Immunology, Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, Parasitology Today, Hybridoma, European Journal of Epidemiology, Journal American Academy of Dermatology, International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, Contact Dermatitis, European Annals of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Anticancer Research, WAO Journal, etc.


EDITORIAL ACTIVITY
Dr. Ansotegui has been involved as editorial board member of several journals of the specialty: Allergy, J Investigational Allergy and Clinical Immunology, International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, Annals of Respiratory Medicine, International Trends in Immunity, Asthma Research and Practice, Alergología e Inmunología Clínica and Clinical and Molecular Allergy

Past Presidents

Year by year
  • 2020 - 2022 | Motohiro Ebisawa, Japan
  • 2018 - 2019 | Ignacio J. Ansotegui, Spain
  • 2016 - 2017 | Mario Sánchez Borges, Venezuela
  • 2014 - 2015 | Lanny J. Rosenwasser, United States
  • 2012 - 2013 | Ruby Pawankar, Japan
  • 2010 - 2011 | Richard F. Lockey, United States
  • 2008 - 2009 | G. Walter Canonica, Italy
  • 2005 - 2007 | Michael A. Kaliner, United States
  • 2003 - 2005 | Carlos E. Baena-Cagnani, Argentina
  • 2000 - 2003 | Allen P. Kaplan, United States
  • 1997 - 2000 | S.G.O. Johansson, Sweden
  • 1994 - 1997 | Albert K. Oehling, Spain
  • 1991 - 1994 | Terumasa Miyamoto, Japan
  • 1988 - 1991 | Jacques P. Charpin, France
  • 1985 - 1988 | Alain L. De Weck, Switzerland
  • 1982 - 1985 | Jack Pepys, United Kingdom
  • 1979 - 1982 | Carl E. Arbesman, United States
  • 1976 - 1979 | Enrique Mathov, Argentina
  • 1973 - 1976 | Tiuzi Sindo, Japan
  • 1970 - 1973 | Max Samter, United States
  • 1967 - 1970 | Umberto Serafini, Italy
  • 1964 - 1967 | Bram Rose, Canada
  • 1961 - 1964 | Carlos Jiminez Diaz, Spain
  • 1958 - 1961 | Bernard M. Halpern, France
  • 1955 - 1958 | Samuel M. Feinberg, United States
  • 1951 - 1955 | Fred Wittich, United States

Members at Large

Members at Large

Jonathan A. Bernstein
Jonathan A. Bernstein

Biography
Division of Immunology/Allergy University of Cincinnati
Bernstein Allergy Group
Bernstein Clinical Research Center
Cincinnati, OH, United States

Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD University of Cincinnati Medical Center (Cincinnati, OH, United States) Jonathan Bernstein is Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and a partner of the Bernstein Allergy Group and Clinical Research Center. He received his MD from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (1981-1985), completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Hospital (1985–1988) and Allergy/Clinical Immunology training at Northwestern University (1988–1990).

He has a spectrum of research interests including allergic skin diseases notably chronic urticaria, angioedema, atopic dermatitis, mast cell disorders, chronic cough, asthma and rhinosinusitis. He is President-Elect of the AAAAI and a member of the AAAAI foundation, the Joint Task Force Guideline committee, the WAO and Interasma board of directors, GINA advocacy council, and HAEA organization medical advisory board. He is also chairperson of Allergists for Israel. Dr. Bernstein is the recipient of Distinguished Clinician Awards from the AAAAI and WAO (2019). He has authored over 400 peer-reviewed articles and over 40 book chapters and is the editor of five books pertaining to asthma, rhinitis and immunodeficiency.
Luis Caraballo (ex-officio)
Luis Caraballo (ex-officio)

Biography
Institute for Immunological Research
University of Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia

Prof. Caraballo is a Doctor in Medicine and Surgery, Magister in Immunology, Doctor in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Specialist in Clinical Allergology. Honorary Professor, Senior Professor of Medicine and Allergy and Director of the Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

Director of the Biomedical Sciences PhD Program of the University of Cartagena. For 40 years, he has been committed to educating undergraduate and graduate (Master and PhD) students. Author of more than 150 scientific articles, several books and book chapters. He has made, and is currently making, significant contributions to the field of experimental allergy, basically studying the environmental and genetic factors for asthma in the tropics.

He is an expert on mite allergens and has discovered several allergens from Blomia tropicalis as well as allergens from the nematode Ascaris lumbricoides and their importance in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases in the tropics. Current Associated Editor of WAO Journal and Frontiers in Allergy; Member (ex-Officio) of the WAO Board of Directors and Past President of the Colombian Association of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.
Yoon-Seok Chang
Yoon-Seok Chang
Biography
Division of Allergy & Clinical Immunology
Seoul National University
Bundang Hospital
Seoul National University
College of Medicine Seongnam,  Republic of Korea

Professor Yoon-Seok Chang is currently working at the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine since 2003. He received his Doctor of Medicine, Master of Science, and Ph.D. in Medicine from Seoul National University. He has published more than 285 peer-reviewed papers (234 original, 51 review articles: h-index 51 by Google), 24 editorials, 17 books (chapter author), and 3 patents. His main research topics are asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic cough, drug allergy, anaphylaxis, and community medicine.

He is the Head of the Medical Research Collaboration Center of the hospital (statistical support and database management), and the Head of Gyeonggi-Do Atopy∙Asthma Education Information Center which is supported by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (to increase the awareness on asthma and allergic diseases in the community and public for the better management and allergy friendly & safe environment).

He has been an active member of academic societies: Secretary General of the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology (KAAACI), Secretary General of Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma, and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI, 2013-2022), and ARIA member. He was the Editor-in-Chief (2016-2022) of Asia Pacific Allergy, the official journal of APAAACI that he launced as the managing editor (2011-2016), and has been serving as the editorial board members (Allergy (IF 14.710), AAIR (IF 5.095), Clinical Translational Allergy (IF 5.871), Immune Network (IF 5.851)), JACI Global, and the committee members (Korean Association of Internal Medicine, Korean Association of Immunologists, Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors, Korea Asthma and Allergy Foundation, APAAACI). He received more than 34 awards including the Commendation from the Minister of Health and Welfare, Korea.

In World Allergy Organization (WAO), he has been served as the committee members (Healthcare Delivery Committee (2014-2015), Drug Hypersensitivity Reactions Committee (2018-current), Education and Training Committee (current)), and the House of Delegate representing KAAACI (2018-2019), the Chair of Steering Committee for World Allergy Week 2022/2023, and WAO Board member (2020~current).


PUBLICATIONS and AWARDS
  1. SCI(E) papers (138)
  2. PubMed/PMC/ Index Medicus cited papers (27)
  3. Papers in Korean journals (69)
  4. Review articles (51)
  5. Editorial (24)
  6. Books : Chapter author (17)
  7. Patent (domestic 2, PCT 1)
  8. Awards (34) including Excellence in Science and Technology award (The Korean Federation for Science and Technology Societies) and Commendation from the Minister of Health and Welfare, Korea.
hi-index: 51 (Google Scholar)

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3157-0447
Manana Chikhladze
Manana Chikhladze

Biography
Asthma and Clinical Immunology
Akaki Tsereteli State University
KuTaisi, Tskaltubo, Georgia

Professor Manana Chikhladze is the Deputy Director of the National Institute of Allergology, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, Georgian National Academy of Sciences in Tskaltubo, Georgia, since 2001 and Akaki Tsereteli State University in Kutaisi, Georgia since 2014.

After finishing her studies at the University of Kutaisi in Georgia, Manana Chikhladze moved at the Institute of immunology, Moscow, Russia, Department of Clinical Immunology, then at the Medical University of Tbilisi, Georgia, where she completed her PhD studies and specialization in Immunology. She has authored several articles in international publications.

She has been an active member of societies: The World Immunopathology Organization (WIPO), International Society Immunorehabilitation, Georgian Association of Allergology, Immunology and Immunorehabilitology. She is also a member of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and WAO's Education Committee. Currently she is a General secretary of the Georgian Association of Allergology & Clinical Immunology (GAACI). She is also an Editorial Board Member for the "Georgian Respiratory Journal" and "Journal of Allergy and Immunology". Manana Chikhladze has been elected as Member at Large to the WAO Board of Directors, for a four years term, starting in January 2020. 
Adnan Custovic
Adnan Custovic

Biography
Professor of Paediatric Allergy
National Heart & Lung Institute
Imperial College London

Adnan Custovic is Professor of Paediatric Allergy at Imperial College London. His professional training consisted of a Specialist training in Paediatrics (1987-91), and successive appointments as Clinical Research Fellow and Specialist Registrar in Allergy (University Hospital of South Manchester, 1992-98). This period saw him awarded M.Sc. (1991), M.D. with Gold Medal (1996) and Ph.D. (2000). He was promoted to a professorship at the University of Manchester in 2002, and moved to Imperial College in 2015.

In 2020, he was elected to the Fellowship of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences. In 2015 he was awarded a highly prestigious European Respiratory Society Gold Medal for research in asthma. In 2013 he received the British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) William Frankland Medal for outstanding contributions to clinical allergy in the UK. He delivered numerous prestigious keynote/named lectures. He published >350 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

He currently serves as the Associate Editor of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, and on the International Advisory Board of the Lancet Child and Adolescent Health. He has served as a Secretary of the BSACI for two terms, and as President of Asthma section of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI).

He has supervised 18 PhD/MD students to completion.
Elham Hossny
Elham Hossny

Biography

Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology Unit Children's Hopsital, Ain Shams University
Cairo, Egypt

Elham Hossny is professor of pediatrics, and Ex-Head of the Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology Unit, Children’s Hospital of Ain Shams University which is a WAO International Center of Excellence since 2018. The unit is a tertiary referral center established in 1988 as the first training center in Egypt for pediatric Allergy/Immunology.

She served on the WAO Board of Directors before (2012-2017) and is member of many WAO scientific committees and associate editor of the WAO Journal and Web Editorial Board. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), member of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and affiliate member of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). Since 2010, she has been under assignment as temporary advisor of the World Health Organization (WHO). She is currently Vice-President of the Pan-Arab Society of Allergy, Asthma, and immunology (PASAAI) which is a member regional organization of the WAO.

Prof. Hossny is Secretary General of the Egyptian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (ESPAI) established in 2002. She is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Egyptian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. The journal has been indexed in the web of science since 2019.

She received the National Excellence State Award in Medicine (2009), the National Incentive State Award in Medicine (2001), and the Ain Shams University Merit Award (2020), and in 2018, she won, with co-authors, the Elsevier Atlas Award for featured article.

Prof. Hossny has 115 publications in allergy, immunology and rheumatology in international and Egyptian peer-reviewed periodicals and has co-supervised 89 Masters’ and Doctorate theses in pediatrics and pediatric allergy/immunology. She participated as speaker or chairperson in 163 international, regional, and local congresses and webinars in allergy/immunology and pediatrics. She has been member of the standing committee for promotion of pediatric faculty members for three cycles between 2008 and 2022.

View my citations here: ScopusGoogle ScholarOrcid.orgLoop

David B. Peden
David B. Peden
Biography

Pediatric Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Dr. Peden is the Harry S. Andrews Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Microbiology/Immunology and serves as the Chief of the Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology; Director of the Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma & Lung Biology; and Senior Associate Dean for Translational Research for the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine. Dr. Peden received his Doctor of Medicine and Master of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology degrees from West Virginia University (WVU). He also completed his residency and chief residency in Pediatrics at WVU Medical Center. Following residency, Dr. Peden completed an allergy/immunology fellowship at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, MD.

Research: Dr. Peden has extensive expertise in translational research, emphasizing Phase I and II safety and proof of concept studies, using allergen, endotoxin, and pollutant challenge models for studies of asthma, airway disease and clearance, allergic disease, and COPD. These studies focus on identifying or confirming biological determinants of airway response, testing wearable pollutant and physiologic sensors, and assessing investigational agents for airway and allergic disease, including anakinra, hypertonic saline, gamma tocopherol, allergen  immunotherapy, and tezepelumab. Dr. Peden serves as the principal investigator (PI) or site PI for these studies and is the sponsor-investigator for six IND applications. Dr. Peden is the IND sponsor investigator for the multi-site NHLBI PreCISE asthma study, testing precision medicine approaches for novel agents in asthma. He is a key investigator on the team from the UNC Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, which is the Data and Modeling Coordinating Center for PreCISE, and a member of the PreCISE Executive and Steering Committees.

Dr. Peden is also medical director for two other research programs. One is the National Science Foundation Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Advanced Self-Sustaining Integrated Sensor Technologies (ASSIST) based at North Carolina State University, which is dedicated to developing and testing wearable sensors for physiologic measures and environmental exposures. The other is the NIH/NCATS funded Biomedical Data Translator (BDT) program, which is comprised of a nationwide network of data teams, which includes the UNC BDT team. The goal of this program is to develop methodologies for coupling electronic health record data with a number of other data types (environmental, genetic, toxicology, pharmaceutical, other biological and socioeconomic data) to guide precision medicine and research on human disease and interactions of determinants of a wide variety of diseases and disease outcomes. Dr. Peden has also served as a site investigator on phase III pediatric asthma studies. Dr. Peden is currently PI for over $3.5 million of federally funded research from the EPA, NIAID, NIEHS, and the NHLBI, and has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications.

In the clinic: Dr. Peden is board certified in pediatrics, allergy, and immunology and diagnostic laboratory immunology. He has seen pediatric and adult patients with asthma and a wide range of allergic and immunologic disorders at the UNC Allergy and Immunology Clinic at the North Carolina Children’s Hospital since 1992 and is listed by both Best Doctors and Top Doctors for Allergy/Immunology.

Other Experience: Dr. Peden has served as 2017-18 President of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), on their Board of Directors 2010-2013, and officer track 2014-2019, and is presently on the World Allergy Organization Board of Directors (2020-2023). Dr. Peden also regularly serves on NIH grant review committees and, until 2018, was a regular member of EPA advisory committees for Sulfur Oxides and Particulate Matter. He is currently the Chair of the FDA Allergenic Products Advisory Committee. He is also an Associate Editor for the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and Editor-in-Chief of Current Allergy and Asthma Reports.

Alessandro Fiocchi
Alessandro Fiocchi

Biography
Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù
Vatican City

Alessandro Fiocchi MD is the Director of Allergy at the Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Vatican City. Formerly director of Pediatrics at the Melloni University Hospital in Milan, Italy, he’s an expert in the field of food allergy. After post-graduate degrees and professional qualification in pediatrics, allergy, pulmonology, and neonatology, he dedicated his research and clinical work to the care of children with asthma and allergic disease. Currently, he leads a research group focusing on food allergy, asthma, and specific immunotherapy. This group is based in the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital (OPBG) a health care and research institution specialized in pediatric and developing ages. The largest Pediatric Hospital in Italy, OPBG guarantees total coverage for all health care needs, including allergy.

Since 2001, he has organized international meetings in Milan, Italy, and other countries. He founded the Italian Research Foundation for Allergy and Asthma in Childhood – Allegria ONLUS, a charity dedicated to clinical and research studies. As chair of the Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, he co-chaired with Sami Bahna and Amal Assa’ad several International Food Allergy Symposiums, the last in Anaheim, November 2012. He also co-chaired with Hugh Sampson the WAO Food Allergy Symposium in Bangkok, 2007, and in Buenos Aires, 2009. Starting in January 2008, Dr. Fiocchi is the chair of the Special Committee on Food Allergy of the World Allergy Organization. Under his chairmanship, WAO published the DRACMA guidelines on cow’s milk allergy in 2010 and the CUPPA position paper on the use of probiotics in pediatric allergy. He’s also the leader of the WAO – supported GLAD-p (GuideLines for Allergy Prevention) project, which published three guidelines so far (Probiotics, 2015; Prebiotics, 2016; Vitamin D, 2017). DRACMA is being be re-edited. His publications cover the fields of food allergy diagnosis, follow-up, epidemiology, specific immunotherapy and childhood asthma.


TEACHING ASSIGNMENTS
  • 2017 – 2023: Teaching qualification for Paediatrics. Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) - national scientific qualification to function as Associate Professor in Italian Universities. Italian National Scientific Qualification (art.16 of the law 30 December 2010, n.240) – sector 06/G1, Paediatrics.

MEETING ORGANIZATION
  • Adverse Reactions to Bovine Proteins – Changing Patterns, Mechanisms and Treatment – in cooperation with the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. Alessandro Fiocchi & Patrizia Restani, co-chairs - 13 – 15 December 2001, Milan Italy
  • XI International Food Allergy Symposium – Sami Bahna & Alessandro Fiocchi, co-chairs – held in conjunction with the annual Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, November 7th – 12th 2003.New Orleans, LA, November 6th, 2003
  • Allergy and eczema – in cooperation with the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. Alessandro Fiocchi & Patrizia Restani, co-chairs – 23-24 January 2004, Milan Italy
  • The management of pediatric allergy: in whose hands? – from bench to bedside. In cooperation with the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Alessandro Fiocchi & Patrizia Restani, co-chairs – 20-21 January 2006, Milan Italy
  • The 11th Annual Meeting od the Italian Society for Pediatric Respiratory Diseases – Angelo Barbato & Alessandro Fiocchi, co-chairs - 21st –23rd June, 2007, Milan Italy
  • The World Allergy Organization. World Allergy Congress 2007, 2nd-6th December 2007. Food Allergy Symposium. Hugh Sampson & Alessandro Fiocchi co-chairs, December 6th 2007, Bangkok Thailand.
  • XIII International Food Allergy Symposium – Sami Bahna & Alessandro Fiocchi, co-chairs – held in conjunction with the annual Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, November 5th – 11th 2009. Miami Beach, FL, November 11th, 2009
  • Adverse Reactions to Bovine Proteins – Changing Patterns, Mechanisms and Treatment – II cooperation with the World Allergy Organization. Alessandro Fiocchi & Patrizia Restani, co-chairs 4th – 6th February 2010, Milan Italy
  • The 6th Milan Meeting. The management of paediatric allergy: not everybody’s cup of tea. In cooperation with the World Allergy Organisation and the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. Alessandro Fiocchi, Chair – 11th-12th February 2012, Milan Italy
  • XIV International Food Allergy Symposium – Amal Assa’ad, Sami Bahna & Alessandro Fiocchi, co-chairs – held in conjunction with the annual Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, November 4th – 13th 2012. Anaheim, CA, November 5th, 2012
  • The 1st Rome Meeting. EBM prevention and management of pediatric allergy. In cooperation with the World Allergy Organisation and the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. Alessandro Fiocchi, Chair – 29th-30th January 2015, Rome, Italy
  • WAO Symposium: Hot Topics in Allergy: Pediatric and Regulatory Aspects. Ignacio Ansotegui, Sergio Bonini, Walter Canonica, Paolo Rossi, Mario Sanchez Borges, Alberto Martelli Scientific Committee. Alessandro Fiocchi, chair. Rome, 27th – 29th April, 2017
  • WAO Symposium: Allergic disease from…. to. From the mechanisms to the organs. From infancy to adulthood. From mild to severe. Motohiro Ebisawa, Mario Sanchez Borges, Ignacio Ansotegui, Francesca Levi-Schaffer, Luis Caraballo, Luciana Kase Tanno, Michael Levin, Bryan Martin, Mario Morais Almeida, Giovanni Passalacqua, Gary Wong, Anahi Yanez Scientific Committee (virtual WISC). Rome, July 16th -18th, 2020
Luciana Kase Tanno (ex-officio)
Luciana Kase Tanno (ex-officio)
Biography
Division of Allergy
Department of Pulmonology Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve
University Hospital of Montpellier
Montpellier, France

Dr. Luciana Kase Tanno graduated in Medicine in 2001. After training in Internal Medicine (2002-2004), she specialized in Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of São Paulo, where she developed her PhD project (2011-2014). In 2006, she completed the residency years and became a Board Certified Allergist in Brazil as a member of the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology (ASBAI).

All along her training, she was awarded with many national and international prizes due to the work developed in the field of anaphylaxis, drug hypersensitivity and pharmaco-genetics. She had a visiting investigator position at the Department of Pharmacogenetics of the University of Liverpool (2011) and was awarded with the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) clinical fellowship at the Division of Allergy, Department of Pneumologie and Addictologie, Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve – CHU de Montpellier (2012).
Dr. Tanno has worked as a hospital practitioner and medical assistant of the Department of Allergy of public and private hospitals in São Paulo (Hospital Sírio-Libanês, Hospital Nipo-Brasileiro, Servidor Público Estadual de São Paulo Hospital), contributing with the training of residents from 2013 to 2015.

Professor in health science – Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Medical Assistance to the São Paulo State Civil Servants since 2014, developed her post-doctoral fellowship at Departement of Pneumologie and Addictologie, Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve – CHU de Montpellier and the Sorbonne Universités, Paris, where she is also affiliated.

Dr. Tanno has been actively involved in activities addressed to Junior Members (JMs) worldwide. She served as an EAACI JM since 2007, then as founding co-chair of the ASBAI JMs (2010), and a founding member of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) JMs group (2011). As chair of the WAO JMs (2014-2015), and the SLAAI JMs (2015), she had the opportunity to develop many academic activities to support quality training of JMs in different countries. Dr. Tanno currently serves as the WAO Junior Members Senior Advisor.

Since 2007, Dr. Tanno is a frequent speaker in national and international congresses. Her main interests are: Anaphylaxis, drug allergy, skin allergies, Classification of allergic and hypersensitivity conditions, International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and other WHO international classifications.

She has been substantially contributing with peer-review publications and is currently reviewer of diverse international journals and editor-at-large of the WAO Journal.

Since 2012, together with Professor Demoly, she has been moving efforts for the representation of allergic and hypersensitivities through the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 11th revision. This initiative, called ALLERGY in ICD-11, has been acknowledged by the Joint Allergy Academies* and the WHO ICD governance, with whom bilateral collaboration was established. Since 2014, she has served as co-chair of the Allergy and Immunology working group of the WHO ICD revision project. The process has resulted in the pioneer “Allergic and hypersensitivity conditions” chapter in the ICD-11. In 2017, Dr. Tanno has been nominated by the WHO as one of the 20 board members of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee to support the WHO ICD and other international classifications. Due to the quality of work, the Montpellier WHO Collaborating Center (WHO CC) for the Scientific Classification of Allergic and Hypersensitivity Diseases was established in June 2018, under her direction.

* Joint Allergy Academies: American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), World Allergy Organization (WAO), American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI), Latin American Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (SLAAI)
Philip W. Rouadi
Philip W. Rouadi

Biography

Ear, Nose, and Throat Department
Dar Al Shifa Hospital
Kuwait City, Kuwait

Dr. Philip W. Rouadi was born in Tripoli, Lebanon in 1966. He is a medical doctor who graduated from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon in 1991.  He completed his postgraduate studies at the American University of Beirut-Medical Center Beirut, where he graduated as an Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery specialist in 1996.

He completed his Fellowship in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery, Allergy and Rhinology (1996-1997) at the University Of Chicago Hospitals in Illinois, USA, where he also completed a Clinical Training in Sleep-Related Disorders at the Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology.  He received advanced training in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery at the John Hopkins Medical Institution Baltimore, Maryland, USA in 1997. 

Currently, Dr Rouadi is an assistant professor of otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery at the Eye and Ear University Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon; and also the director of the Allergy and Sleep Laboratories, and Head of ENT Residency Training Program at the same hospital. He is currently a surgical consultant at the Middle East Institute of Health- Cancer Center, and is a part time teaching professor at the “Holy Spirit University in Kaslik”, (Beirut) faculty of Medicine.

Dr Philip Rouadi has several publications in peer-reviewed journals and medical textbooks in the field of allergy and otolaryngology. He has chaired and co-chaired many national (Lebanese) and international congresses in the field of pollution, allergy and rhinology.

He is the immediate past President of the Lebanese Society of Allergy and Immunology and member of Lebanese Society of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, and the European Academy of Allergy Asthma and Clinical Immunology, and the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery. He is the recipient of WAO Special Recognition Award (2019) and serves as co-chair of WAO the Rhinitis and Rhinosinusitis chapter in the same organization.

Dr Rouadi is on the Speaker’s bureau for GSK, MSD, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Takeda, Novartis, Meda, Pharmaline, and Algorithm pharmaceuticals. He is also on the Speaker’s bureau and Congress Advisory Committee for Sanofi, and Abbott pharmaceuticals.

His areas of interest are pollution, allergy and immunotherapy, chronic rhinosinusitis,  pharmacodynamics of intranasal steroids, skull base and olfactory cleft surgery, facial plastic and cosmetic surgery.

Pedro Giavina-Bianchi
Pedro Giavina-Bianchi
Biography
Clinical Immunology and Allergy Division
University of São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil

Clinical Immunology and Allergy Division
University of São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil
Clinical Immunology and Allergy Division
University of São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil
José Antonio Ortega-Martell
José Antonio Ortega-Martell

Biography
School of Medicine
Autonomous University of Hidalgo State
Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico

Dr. Ortega Martell was born in Mexico City, where he completed his primary studies and career in Medicine in La Salle University, graduating in 1981-1986 generation. He then carried out the specialty of Pediatrics from 1988 to 1991 at the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico City and afterwards the sub-specialty of Pediatric Allergy from 1991 to 1993. Dr. Ortega-Martell completed several courses in basic Immunology and Clinical Immunology in the Department of Immunology of the National School of Biological Sciences of the National Polytechnic Institute. In 1998 he received training on the HIV infection and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Dr. Ortega Martell worked at the Immunology Department of the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico City from 1993 to 2001, and later as head of the Department of Allergy and Immunology at the Children´s Hospital of Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico from 2001 to 2006. He has lectured in several courses of Immunology at the National Institute of Pediatrics and, since 2002, as Professor and founder of the Chair of Immunology of the degree course in Medicine at the Institute of Health Sciences of the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo (UAEH) in Mexico.

Dr. Ortega Martell has worked on the Board of the National Council of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CONICA) and was Treasurer from 2016-2017, Secretary from 2018-2019 and President elect from 2022-2023. He also has served as Secretary of the Latin American Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (SLAAI) from 2002-2003 and the Board of Directors of the Mexican College of Pediatricians specialists in Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CoMPEDIA) where he served as President during the 2010-2011 period, and he is currently the Academic Coordinator of this College. He is also an active member of the Mexican College of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CMICA), the National Confederation of Mexican Pediatricians (CONAPEME), the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) and a Member of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) Board of Directors from 2016 until present (Member-at-Large from 2016-2019, ex-officio from 2020- 2022 and Member-at-large from 2023-2024).

Dr. Ortega Martell has collaborated in the organization of various national and international meetings, including two World Allergy Congresses (ICACI Cancún 1997 and WAC Cancún 2011). He has also participated as speaker on conferences related to pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases (asthma, rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, food allergy), as well as with the timely detection of primary immunodeficiencies and autoimmune diseases; topics on which has several publications. Dr. Ortega Martell currently lives with his family in the city of Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico, combining the private consultation with the academic activities at the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo (UAEH).
James L. Sublett
James L. Sublett
Biography

Pediatric Allergy & Immunology
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Louisville, KY, United States

James L. Sublett, MD, FACAAI, FAAAAI has served on the World Allergy Organization’s Emerging Societies Program (ESP) Committee and has been active as an instructor with the WAO’s Training Schools (WATS) for several years. He also serves as one of the two North American Editors for the World Allergy Organization Journal. He is a Past President (2014-2015) of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) and currently serves as the ACAAI’s Executive Director for Advocacy and Governmental Affairs. He has been honored by the College as a Distinguished Fellow and serves on the Editorial Board of the Annals of Allergy & Immunology.

He is a Clinical Professor at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and for over twenty years served as the Section Chief of Pediatric Allergy & Immunology. He is the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer for Family Allergy & Asthma. Founded in 1979, Family AA is one of the largest allergy & immunology practices in the United States, with thirty-six board certified allergists/immunologists and 16 nurse practitioners serving 46 clinics in four states. In addition, Dr. Sublett sits on several other boards, including the University of Louisville President’s Advisory Council and the Norton Healthcare Board of Trustees. He received both his BA and MD degrees from the University of Louisville. He completed a residency in Pediatrics and a Fellowship in Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital, University of Louisville School of Medicine.

Dr. Sublett is regarded as an expert on the effects of air pollution on human health, especially related to indoor air pollution resulting from both outdoor and indoor sources. He is a frequently invited national and international speaker on medical socioeconomics, anaphylaxis, asthma, and indoor environmental issues.

He is married and has four adult children, four grandchildren, and lives with his wife, Lelia, in Anchorage, KY.

R. Maximiliano Gómez
R. Maximiliano Gómez
Biography
Faculty of Health Sciences Catholic University of Salta
Salta, Argentina

Dr René Maximiliano Gómez gained his medical degree in 1991 at the Catholic University of Córdoba, Argentina, and he presented his PhD thesis there in May 2016. He is a board-certified specialist in Allergy and Immunology both at Argentinean Association of Allergy & Clinical Immunology and at the National University of Córdoba, Argentina, and a consultant in Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Unit at Alas Medical Institute in Salta, Argentina. He has worked as Medical Director at this last institution, and in the academic field as an invited professor in Immunology (Veterinary Sciences at the Catholic University of Salta) and Dermatology (Faculty of Medicine at the National University of Salta, Argentina).

From April 2020 was the Director of School of Health Sciences, and from 2023 becomes Dean of the recently nominated Faculty of Health Sciences, at Catholic University of Salta, Argentina. He is the current President of Ethics’ Committee in Human Research at the above-mentioned University.

Dr Gómez is President of the Ayre Foundation (at Alas Medical Institute), leading the education and research on allergy and respiratory diseases. He is also a Consultant in Allergy & Immunology at Alas Medical Institute in Salta, Argentina.

He served as Scientific Secretary at the Latin American Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (SLaai) in 2013 and held the post until 2017. He was General Secretary of SLaai 2017–18 and Scientific Director of Argentinean Association of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (AAAeIC) 2018–2019, becoming the President of AAAeIC in 2022. He is also a committee member on paediatric asthma at the World Allergy Organization, and associate editor of WAO Journal.

Dr Gómez has authored and co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications. His research focuses on allergens and indoor pollution in asthma/allergic rhinitis, parasites and atopy, chronic urticaria, chronic rhino sinusitis with nasal polyposis, allergen immunotherapy and registries for allergic diseases.
Nikolaos G. Papadopoulos
Nikolaos G. Papadopoulos
Biography

Professor of Allergy and Pediatric Allergy National Kapodistrian University of Athens
Athens, Greece

Nikolaos (Nikos) Papadopoulos is a world leading expert in allergy and asthma, focusing on the role of infection and its interaction with atopy, as keystone events of allergy pathophysiology as well as targets for treatment. In the course of this career, he has identified some of the key mechanisms leading from common viral exposures to asthma exacerbations and allergy persistence.

He is Professor and Head of the Allergy Department, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, University of Athens; also Honorary Professor at the University of Manchester and at OPRI, Singapore.

He has supervised more than 20 PhDs, organized over 100 educational events and has trained doctors in the clinic and researchers in the lab. He is invited speaker at international events more than 30 times a year. He has participated and led several high-impact EU research projects from FP5 all the way to Horizon Europe (2022). He has actively served many international societies, most notably EAACI (President 2013-2015), the Respiratory Effectiveness Group (REG, President 2018-2020) and currently Board Member of WAO.

He has received several international awards, among other, the EAACI Clemens von Pirquet Award (2019), the PhARF award (2010), the Klosterfrau International Award (2003) and the ERS Annual Award for Pediatric Respiratory Research in Europe (2004). He has published over 500 papers, receiving more than 50000 citations and an h-index of >100 (Google Scholar).

He is Editor-in-Chief of Frontiers in Allergy and Associate Editor of Clinical & Translational Allergy.

Currently he is exploring the role of the respiratory virome in asthma, trialling new interventions in milk and nut allergy, evaluating potential interventions against indoor air pollution at schools, while he is leading PeARL (Pediatric Asthma in Real-Life), a think tank that aims to optimise pediatric asthma management.

Lianglu Wang
Lianglu Wang
Biography

Department of Paediatrics
Peking Union Medical College / PUMC Hospital
Beijing, People's Republic of China

House of Delegates

House of Delegates

The House of Delegates acts as a regulatory governing body for the World Allergy Organization (WAO). The House of Delegates meets at WAO’s annual World Allergy Congress, and ratifies such business as the selection of new WAO Board of Directors and Executive Committee Members, selection of future Congress locations, admittance of new Member Societies, ratification of WAO position papers, etc. Under special circumstances, WAO may initiate an electronic vote for WAO matters requiring urgent ratification using the same qualifications and voter requirements as the House of Delegates regular in-person meetings.

The House of Delegates is comprised of representatives from each of the WAO Member Societies. The Delegates are nominated by the Society President(s), or may be the Society Presidents themselves, and ratify matters based on a majority vote. All WAO Member Societies are requested to send at least one delegate to all in-person meetings, and participate in all electronic ratifications. All National Member Societies with Good-Standing status will maintain voting privileges, with the number of voting delegates based on the Society’s total membership. Associate Members, Affiliate Members, Regional Members and National Member Societies who are not in Good-Standing (those who have not paid their annual dues) shall have a seat and a voice in the meetings but shall not have the right to vote. All Member Societies are highly encouraged to send their selected delegate to the WAO House of Delegates meeting, even if they carry a non-voting status.

Please refer to WAO Bylaws, Article IX for the rights, privileges and duties of the WAO House of Delegates, or contact info@worldallergy.org with any questions.
Official House of Delegates Representatives | 2023-2024
Albanian Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology
TBD

Algerian Academy of Allergology
Kada Bentata

Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Association of Thailand (AAIAT)
Hiroshi Chantaphakul
Wasu Kamchaisatian (alternate)
 
Allergy and Clinical Immunology Society (Singapore) (ACIS)
TBD

Allergy and Immunology Society of Nigeria
Olatunde Odusote

Allergy & Immunology Society of Sri Lanka
TBD

Allergy Society of Kenya (ASOK)
Adil Waris
Elizabeth Kiragu (alternate)

Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA)
Michael Levin

Allergy Society of Tanzania (ASOT)
TBD

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI)
Jonathan Bernstein
David A. Khan
David M. Lang
Paul V. Williams

American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI)
Kathleen May 
James Tracy

Argentine Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (AAAeIC)
Pablo Moreno
R. Maximilano Gómez (alternate)

Argentine Society of Allergy and Immunopathology
R. Maximilano Gómez

Armenian Association of Immunology and Allergy
TBD

Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI)
Ruby Pawankar

Asia Pacific Association of Pediatric Allergy, Respirology and Immunology (APAPARI)
Motohiro Ebisawa
Wasu Kamchaisatian
Gary W.K. Wong

Association Paediatric Allergists and Immunologist of Russia (APAIR)
Sergey S. Masalsky

Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
TBD

Austrian Society of Allergology and Immunology (ÖGAI)
Rudolf Valenta
Petra Zieglmayer
Winfried Pickl (alternate)

Azerbaijan Society for Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Amaliya Ayyubova
Tahira Panahova (alternate)

Bangladesh Society of Allergy and Immunology
TBD

Belarus Association of Allergology & Clinical Immunology (BAACI)
Aksana Ishchanka
Iryna Shchurok (alternate)

Belgian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BelSACI)
TBD

Brazilian Society of Allergy and Immunology (ASBAI)
Fábio Kuschnir
Ekaterini Goudouris
Herberto Chong
Gustavo Wandalsen

British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI)
Adnan Custovic

British Society for Immunology (BSI)
TBD

Bulgarian National Society of Allergology
TBD

Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI)
Anne Ellis

Chilean Society of Allergy and Immunology (SCAI)
TBD

Chinese Society of Allergy
Lei Chang

Colombian Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Association (ACAAI)
Jorge Sanchez
Edison Morales (alternate)

Commonwealth of Independent States Society of Allergology and Immunology (CIS Society)
Tatiana Slavyanskaya
Roman Khanferyan (alternate)

Croatian Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology
TBD
 
Cuban Society of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology
TBD

Czech Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (CSAKI)
Petr Panzner 

Danish Society for Allergology (DSA)
Charlotte Mørtz

Dominican Society of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
Gina Maria Decamps Solano

Dutch Society of Allergology (NVvA)
Maurits van Maaren
Paul van Daele (alternate)
 
Ecuadorian Society of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (SEAAI)
Manuel Iván Proaño Vaca 
Pablo Michael Torres Córdova (Alternate)

Egyptian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (ESACI)
Kamal Maurice Hanna
Hisham Tarraf (alternate)

Egyptian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (ESPAI)
Dalia El-Ghoneimy
Elham Hossny (alternate)

European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI)
Stefano Del Giacco

Finnish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology
TBD

French Society of Allergology (SFA)
Luciana Kase Tanno
Frédéric Berard (Alternate)

Georgian Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (GAACI)
Manana Chikhladze
Revaz Sepiashvili (Alternate)

German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI)
Margitta Worm
Eckard Hamelmann
Christian Taube (alternate)

Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA2LEN)
Torsten Zuberbier

Guatemalan Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology Association (ASGUAI)
TBD

Haitian Society of Allergy and Immunology
TBD

Hellenic Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EEaKa)
Efthalia Stefanaki

Honduran Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (SHAIC)
TBD

Hong Kong Institute of Allergy
Gary W.K. Wong
Helen Chan

Hungarian Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology
TBD

Icelandic Society of Allergy and Immunology
TBD

Indian Academy of Allergy
TBD

Indian College of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology
A.B. Singh
S.N. Gaur (alternate)

Indonesian Society for Allergy and Immunology
TBD

International Association of Asthmology (INTERASMA)
TBD

International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG)

TBD

Iranian Society of Asthma and Allergy
TBD

Israel Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (IAACI)
Alon Hershko
Menachem Rottem (alternate)

Italian Association of Territorial and Hospital Allergists (AAIITO)
Battista Roberto Polillo
Riccardo Asero (alternate)

Italian Society of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (SIAAIC)
Marco Caminati

Japanese Society of Allergology (JSA)
Norito Katoh
Mayumi Tamari
Takumi Takizawa
Hiroyuki Nagase
Motohiro Ebisawa (Alternate)
Sakura Sato (Alternate)
Yuji Nakamaru (Alternate)

Jordanian Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JSACI)
Raed Alzyood

Kazakhstan Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology
Zhanat Ispayeva

Korean Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (KAAACI)
Jae Won Oh
Tae-Bum Kim
Byung-Jae Lee (Alternate)
Hyun Hee Kim (Alternate)

Kosovo Immunology Asthma and Allergy Association
TBD

Kuwait Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Mona Al-Ahmad
Naser Ahmed (Alternate)

Latin American Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (SLaai)
TBD

Latvian Association of Allergists
TBD

Lebanese Society of Allergy and Immunology (LSAI)
TBD 

Lithuanian Association of Allergy and Asthma
Violeta Kvedariene

Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology (MSAI)
Salina Husain

Mexican College of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CMICA)
Elias Medina-Segura

Mexican College of Pediatricians Specialized in Allergy and Clinical Immunology (COMPEDIA)
Francisco Javier Espinosa Rosales
Guillermo Wakida (alternate)

Moldovan Society of Allergology & Immunology
TBD

Mongolian Society of Allergology
Munkhbayarlakh Sonomjamts
Narantsetseg Logii (alternate)

Moroccan Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology
TBD

National Association for Private Algerian Allergists (ANAP)
TBD

Pakistan Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society (PAAIS)
Syed Shahid Abbas

Panamanian Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology
TBD

Pan-Arab Society of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
TBD

Paraguayan Society of Immunology and Allergy (SPAAI)
TBD

Peruvian Society of Allergy and Immunology
José Larco
Danny Muñoz (alternate)

Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (PSAAI)
Marysia T. Recto
Rommel Lobo (alternate)

Polish Society of Allergology (PTA)
Marek Kulus
Maciej Kupczyk
Anna Ben Drissi (Alternate)
Lukasz Skolimowski (Alternate)

Portuguese Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SPAIC)
TBD

Qatar Allergy and Immunology Society (QAIS)
TBD

Romanian Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SRAIC)
Carmen Panaitescu
Valentin Iovin (Alternate)

Russian Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology
TBD

Salvadorian Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology
TBD

Saudi Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Society
TBD

Serbian Association of Allergologists and Clinical Immunologists
TBD 

Slovenian Association for Allergology and Clinical Immunology
TBD

Southern European Allergy Societies (SEAS)
TBD

Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC)
Ignacio Dávila González
Antonio Letrán Camacho
Darío Antolín Amérigo
Carmen Andreu Balaguer (Alternate)
Rosa Myriam Blanco Pérez (Alternate)
Mónica Venturini Díaz (Alternate)

Swedish Association for Allergology
TBD

Swiss Society of Allergology and Immunology (SSAI)
TBD 

Taiwan Academy of Pediatric Allergy Asthma Immunology
Chih-Hsing Hung

Tunisian Society of Respiratory Diseases and Allergology
TBD 

Turkish National Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (TNSACI)
Vesile Dilşad Mungan

Ukrainian Allergists Association
TBD

Ukrainian Society of Specialists for Immunology, Allergology and Immunorehabilitation (UTIAI)
TBD

Uruguayan Society of Allergology
TBD

Venezuelan Society of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
Joselit Torres

Vietnam Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology
TBD

Zimbabwe Allergy Society
Elopy Sibanda
Pisirai Ndarukwa (Alternate)

Member Societies

Member Societies

All Individuals who are Active Members of a WAO Society are Individual Members of the World Allergy Organization (WAO).
For your National Allergy Society to become a WAO Member Society, please complete an application here.

WAO Member Societies can renew their annual membership and generate an invoice here.

Disclaimer: Information on this page is provided by WAO Member Societies. To edit/add information for your Society, please contact info@worldallergy.org.

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Committees

Committees

  • Adult Asthma
  • Allergen Immunotherapy
  • Allergy Diagnosis & Precision Allergy Molecular Diagnostic Applications (PAMD@)
  • Allergy Prevention
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Biologic Therapies in Allergy
  • Centers of Excellence
  • Drug Hypersensitivity Reactions
  • Education & Training
  • Environmental Changes & Allergy Care
  • Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases
  • Food Allergy
  • Inborn Errors of Immunity
  • Junior Members Group
  • Mast Cell Disorders
  • Microbiota
  • Nomenclature
  • Pediatric Asthma
  • Skin Allergy: Atopic Dermatitis and Other Eczemas
  • Skin Allergy: HAE
  • Skin Allergy: Urticaria
  • Upper Airway Diseases in Allergy
  • World Allergy Forum (WAF) Advisory Board

Definitions

Defining the Specialty
The specialty and practice of allergy and clinical immunology are based on the understanding and treatment of hypersensitivity and immune dysfunction as these relate to allergic diseases. Allergy / Immunology also covers allergic as well as primary and secondary immunodeficiency diseases and autoimmune diseases in some countries.

Defining the Specialist
An Allergist / Immunologist is a physician specially trained to diagnose, treat, and manage allergy / asthma, and immunologic disorders including immunodeficiency and immune disregulation. The Allergist / Immunologist usually has completed both a specialized training period in Allergy and Immunology, and a prior period of training in Internal Medicine, Dermatology, Respirology, Otolaryngology, and/or Pediatrics. The training is based on the scientific discipline of Immunology and may range from basic science such as genetics and biochemistry through clinical translational science including trial design, biostatistics, ethics, and evidence-based medicine. Depending on national accreditation systems, diplomats usually will be recognized by certificates of specialized training in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, awarded by a governing board.

Training, experience and expertise on tolerance enable the Allergy / Immunology Specialist to manage a wide range of therapeutic interventions and manipulations for the treatment of people suffering from an allergic and immunologic disease. These range from specific immunotherapy (a form of acquired immune tolerance), to desensitization (a useful clinical tool for pharmacologic therapy in allergic subjects), to a wide variety of other therapeutic and management interventions including biotherapeutics and immunomodulation. The conditions treated by Allergy / Immunology Specialists can range from the very common to the very rare, and can span all ages and encompass a variety of organ systems representing the systemic nature of allergic immune responses.

Definitions of the World Allergy Organization (WAO)