President’s Message

Leading Through Innovation, Education and Advocacy

Dear Friends,

One of the most energizing parts of serving as AAAAI President is seeing the ways our members are stepping up to drive meaningful progress across our specialty.

This issue of Impact highlights just a few of the many ways AAAAI members are doing exactly that. From clinical innovation to education and advocacy, your work is shaping the future of allergy/immunology in real and measurable ways.

Frank S. Virant, MD, FAAAAI

You’ll read about the Innovation Sprint, a dynamic initiative born out of our Health Informatics, Technology & Education Committee (HITE). Modeled after hackathons, it brings clinicians together with other stakeholders to develop practical solutions to persistent challenges, whether it’s improving access to care, navigating prior authorization or using AI to reduce disparities. This is innovation rooted in the day-to-day realities of patient care, led by those who understand it best: you.

You’ll also learn about a series of new food allergy education activities led by several members and made possible by grant funding. These include everything from patient-facing webinars to provider-focused micro-courses designed to close gaps in primary care knowledge. They reflect what happens when we give members space and support to meet real-world needs with meaningful tools.

In the research space, Dr. David Hill’s recent publication in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI)—supported in part by an AAAAI Foundation Faculty Development Award and HOPE Grant—marks a significant advancement in our understanding of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). His work identifying the first molecular signature of food allergen recognition in EoE opens the door to better diagnostics, therapies and clinical outcomes for patients. It’s also a great example of why supporting early-stage investigators matters.

Finally, we spotlight our ongoing efforts to advocate against the proposed cuts to research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the restructuring of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). As Dr. Carla Davis, chair of the Scientific Community Task Force for A/I Research, and AAAAI President-Elect outlines, the implications of these changes are far-reaching—not only for researchers, but for clinical care, training programs and the availability of new treatments. Through the work of the task force, the AAAAI is leading the charge. I encourage every member to get involved.

These stories are just a sample of the incredible work happening across our community. Whether you’re innovating in your clinic, developing new educational tools, conducting research or advocating for our patients and profession, I want to thank you. Your efforts are what move our specialty forward—and they inspire all of us to do more.

Sincerely, Frank S. Virant, MD, FAAAAI

AAAAI President president@aaaai.org Find more inspiring stories of how AAAAI members are advancing our specialty and improving patient care in past issues of Impact on the Member Publications page of the AAAAI website. Do you have an inspiring story to offer for consideration, or know someone who does? Reach out to Impact editor, April Presnell.