Evidence Based
Research and
Trials
Since 2020
At the Institute for Allergic Inflammation (IAI), we conceptualize allergies as systemic inflammatory processes rather than isolated symptoms, beginning with barrier dysfunction and advancing to inflammation across multiple organ systems.
About Us
INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGIC INFLAMMATION
The years following the COVID-19 pandemic have brought an unprecedented rise in patients presenting with chronic, multisystem inflammatory conditions. Clinicians across the country have observed a surge in uncontrolled asthma and worsening COPD, recurrent bronchitis, alongside a growing number of individuals reporting persistent, unexplained symptoms affecting nearly every organ system. These include cognitive and neurological complaints (“brain fog,” fatigue, dysautonomia), cardiovascular symptoms (palpitations, tachycardia, anxiety-associated episodes), gastrointestinal issues resembling IBS, urinary urgency and overactive bladder symptoms, musculoskeletal pain with joint stiffness or reduced grip strength, and a marked increase in chronic urticaria and pruritus.
Many of these patients cycle through “long COVID” clinics, where fragmented understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms often results in symptom-based management rather than targeted treatment. Emerging clinical patterns suggest that individuals with pre-existing allergic inflammation are disproportionately vulnerable to prolonged, systemic inflammatory responses following viral infections, yet the biological mechanisms governing this vulnerability remain largely unexplored.
Recognizing this urgent unmet need, Dr. Doanh Nguyen, MD (Texas Allergy Group) and Dr. Philip Deitiker, PhD established a collaborative effort to investigate how allergic inflammation contributes to systemic disease expression. Their work focuses on identifying and validating biomarkers that quantify inflammatory burden, predict disease severity, and detect early signs of organ involvement, including tolerance breaking and the development of autoimmune disorders.
The Institute for Allergic Inflammation was founded to expand this mission. Our goal is to advance scientific understanding of systemic allergic inflammation, establish standardized approaches to diagnosis and treatment, and provide evidence-based strategies to prevent progression to chronic, multisystem disease. We are committed to translating emerging research into clinical practice, educating the medical community and the public, and promoting cost-effective, early-intervention models that improve long-term health outcomes.
Meet the Scientists
The scientists at the Institute for Allergic Inflammation come from diverse backgrounds but share a unified vision: to address complex, interconnected medical questions centered on progressive inflammation driven by immune dysregulation in response to environmental exposures. We study how everyday environmental exposures, such as allergens and pollutants, can disrupt the immune system and lead to ongoing inflammation.
Our work focuses on defining and quantifying inflammatory burden, identifying biomarkers of disease activity, and understanding the mechanisms that lead to loss of immune tolerance. Equally important, we aim to slow the progression of inflammation related organ dysfunction and reduce the risk of transition from chronic inflammation to autoimmune disease. By doing so, we aim to intervene earlier, slow the progression of disease, protect organ function, and reduce the risk of developing autoimmune conditions. Through this work, we strive to turn scientific discovery into meaningful improvements in patient health and long term wellbeing.
Doanh Nguyen, MD FAAAAI
Senior Scientific Collaborator, Institute for Allergic Inflammation
Allergist Immunologist | Texas Allergy Group
Philip Deitiker, PhD
Senior Scientific Collaborator, Institute for Allergic Inflammation
Biochemist | Immunogenetics Researcher | Molecular Inflammation Scientist