CFAR Retreat

Australian food allergy researchers are leading the way in uncovering new strategies to prevent, intervene early and manage the allergic disease.

Centre for Food Allergy Researchers (CFAR) members are invited to help drive knowledge and translation forward at the 2026 CFAR Retreat. Hear from CFAR PhD Scholars and Postdoctoral Fellows specialising in each area, and have your questions ready for deep-dive panel discussions.

*This is an in-person retreat open to all CFAR members. Travel and accommodation costs will be covered for CFAR-funded Postgraduate Scholars and Postdoctoral Fellows travelling from interstate. You will hear from us directly.

Places are limited! Please RSVP by 5pm AEST Wednesday 30 April.

• WHEN: 9.00am – 3.00pm AEST, Friday 22 May 2026
• WHERE:Murdoch Children's Research Institute - Cox Room and Walford Room (Level 5)
  50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Take tram number 58 or 59 to the Royal Children’s Hospital stop
• PARKING: Some on-street parking is available on Flemington Road, underground parking is available beneath the Royal Children’s Hospital and 48 Flemington Road. More parking details
• LUNCH: 12.30 – 1.30pm AEST, Cox and Walford Room, refreshment will also be provided during the day

What's on

 

Australia has a world-leading program of well-phenotyped population-based cohorts and food allergy prevention clinical trials. Learn about ongoing work to identify modifiable factors that may be targeted for future food allergy prevention strategies in at-risk groups and across the broader population.

Chair: Associate Professor Jennifer Koplin, CFAR Chief Investigator, University of Queensland Childhood Allergy & Epidemiology, Child Health Research Centre, Group Leader

Presenters to be announced

Session 2 – Management: 11.00am - 12.30pm AEST

Find out about recent work to improve allergen characterisation and diagnostics, including food allergy algorithms and prediction modelling management tools. Hear about work targeting adolescents with food allergies who are at risk of other adverse health effects, including eating disorders. Plus, the studies examining the skin’s role in allergy development.

Chair: Professor Mimi Tang, CFAR Chief Investigator, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Allergy & Immunology Group Leader

Presenters to be announced

Lunch: 12:30pm – 1:30pm AEST

Enjoy an opportunity to network with food allergy experts from across Australia, including CFAR Chief and Associate Investigators. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Session 3 – Intervention: 1.30 – 3.00pm AEST

Hear the latest on early intervention strategies and novel treatments to reduce food allergy burden. Explore how these approaches can safely and effectively re-program the immune response to the allergen along with their financial and psychosocial impacts. Learn about ongoing work utilising biosamples and phenotypic data to uncover the mechanisms of tolerance development and predictors of OIT success.

Chair: Professor Kirsten Perrett, CFAR Director and Chief Investigator, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Population Allergy Group Leader

Presenters to be announced

Follow and tag us on X/Twitter: @NACEresearch and @CRE_CFAR; LinkedIn: @National Allergy Centre of Excellence for highlights of the day.