CoFAR Launches FoodSpace: a Digital Space for Food Allergy Researchers

CHICAGO — The Consortium for Food Allergy Research (CoFAR) announced the launch of FoodSpace, a secure, online platform designed to bridge the gaps in food allergy research. 

Researchers often work in separate systems, which makes comparing studies and re-analyzing data challenging. CoFAR said by bringing research protocols, study materials, and data from many studies into one shared space, FoodSpace aims to accelerate the discovery of prevention and treatments for a condition that affects approximately 8% of children and 11% of adults in the United States.

FoodSpace was developed with funding from the National Institutes of Health to move the field toward a shared and common way of collecting and recording data, ensuring that all scientific output is findable and accessible for future reuse, CoFAR said.

A Robust Library of Food Allergy Research. Researchers can now access a curated study directory and a comprehensive resource library designed to streamline scientific collaboration.

• Study Directory: A curated registry of key food allergy studies, including study design and patient populations.
• Resource Library: A collection of protocols, data-collection and survey instruments, consent forms and materials to support rigorous advances in research.

“By breaking down geographic and institutional barriers, we can finally answer critical, large-scale questions regarding food allergy development, progression, and severity,” says Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, principal investigator, CoFAR Clinical Research Center, Northwestern University.

The Future State. While the core hub is currently active, CoFAR said it will roll out updates and improved capabilities over time to further empower clinicians and researchers. Upcoming features include:

• A comprehensive catalog of datasets.
• A unified framework to support complex cross-study comparisons.
• A secure space with integrated analytics tools for reproducible research.

“With funding from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, CoFAR’s FoodSpace is poised to support researchers across the globe as they develop novel diagnostics and treatments to improve patient care,” says Robert Wood, PI, CoFAR Leadership Center, Johns Hopkins University.

Gupta is the Mary Ann and J. Milburn Smith research professor for a senior scientist in child health research at the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She also is director of the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research (CFAAR) based at Lurie Children’s and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Wood is the director of pediatric allergy, immunology, and rheumatology at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and a professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He serves as the principal investigator for the CoFAR Leadership Center.

Join the Community. CoFAR invites the global research community to explore and contribute to this evolving repository. To submit study resources or access the growing library of protocols and surveys, visit the FoodSpace website at https://www.cofarfoodspace.org/.