We are happy to announce the 2008 Phadia Allergy Research Forum (PhARF) Award Winner, Prof. Dr.med. Natalija Novak.

Prof. Novak received the prize from the hands of Prof. Paul Byrne, Chairman of the PhARF Scientific Committee at an Award Ceremony in connection with the EAACI Meeting in Barcelona on Sunday afternoon, June 8.

Prof. Novak received the prize for her work on “New Insights into the Mechanisms and Management of Allergic Disease".

Natalija Novak is currently Professor of Dermatology with an Heisenberg Professorship for Experimental Allergy and Immundermatology at the University of Bonn. She is head of the Allergy Unit at the Department of Dermatology and Allergology and Research Group Leader at the Laboratory of Immunobiology.

Her research area covers the regulation and function of IgE-receptor bearing dendritic cells, the pathophysiology of Atopic Dermatitis as well as mechanisms of allergen-specific tolerance induction in the oral and nasal mucosa and during allergen specific immunotherapy.

At the age of 31, she became assistant professor of Dermatology and assistant medical director. She is the principal investigator of several research projects and clinical research studies as well as the protocol co-chair of the Atopic Dermatitis Vaccinia Network of the National Institute of Health in the US.

Prof. Novak's research achievements have been honored by several awards, including the Heinz-Maier-Leibnitz Award of the German Research Council in 2005, which is one of the most reputable awards for young scientists in Germany. She also received an Honorable Mention from PhARF already in 2003.

 

The objective of Phadia Allergy Research Forum (PhARF) is to encourage progress in allergy research through the recognition of a young outstanding investigator by means of an international award. PhARF also serves as a forum for scientific discussion by arranging symposia, workshops, etc.

Since 1987, an annual Award is offered to a young scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the field of allergy through creative and independent research efforts. Currently, the award amounts to USD 50,000.