Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Atopy is often defined as a hereditary predisposition to mount exaggerated immune responses to environmental allergens. The prevalence of atopic disorders has been steadily increasing and is thought to now affect as much as 40% of the Canadian population. Individuals affected by atopy often go through the "atopic march", starting with atopic dermatitis and/or food allergy, progressing to asthma and finally allergic rhinitis. There are many environmental and hereditary conditions that are considered risk factors for atopy, including maternal atopic status, birth by caesarian section, maternal smoking, and being the first-born child. That maternal atopic status is a strong risk factor for atopy development indicates that maternal-fetal interactions may have influence over the developing immune system and hence promote atopy in the newborn. Umbilical cord blood provides a unique window into the physiology of both the maternal and fetal environment prior to the commencement of the neonatal environment, and can be accessed without risk to either mother or infant. This research will assess if there are detectable changes in the immune system of infants based on atopy risk, in the umbilical cord blood. This information will then be used to identify infants from birth that will develop atopy, but still before disease onset. Identification is a crucial first step in preventing allergic disease. By identifying infants that will develop atopy, intervention before allergy onset is feasible. This subsequently means that it will be possible to prevent children from developing atopic disease. In conclusion, atopy affects a huge proportion of the population, and numbers of affected individuals are steadily increasing. Identifying immune changes in the umbilical cord blood of high risk infants will open a window of time in which allergic disease can be prevented. This will spare those individuals from having to suffer through a lifetime with the symptoms of atopic disease.