GA²LEN in a nutshell
What does “GA²LEN” stand for?
What is GA²LEN’s main objective?
Who is involved in the Network?
How many countries are involved in GA²LEN?
What is GA²LEN doing?
Why a “Network of Excellence” in allergy and asthma?
What is a Network of Excellence (NoE)?
What about food allergy?
How is GA²LEN funded?
GA²LEN Partners
Why have allergy and asthma become a public health concern?
What are the research needs on allergy and asthma?
What is an allergy?
What do we refer to with “allergic diseases”?
What is the “allergy march”?
How frequent are allergic diseases?

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GA²LEN in a nutshell

GA²LEN, the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, is a multidisciplinary research platform addressing all aspects of allergic diseases with a view to reducing the burden of allergy and asthma. GA²LEN aims to enhance the quality and relevance of European research and disseminate best practice and knowledge to health professionals, patients and policy makers. Understanding factors and mechanisms of allergic diseases will contribute to developing better health care and improving the quality of life of more than 80 million Europeans with allergies.

• 31 Partners: 27 research institutes, 2 European societies, 2 SMEs
• The network is expanding: already close to 60 Collaborating Centres
• More than 500 researchers from more than 20 European countries
• 9 research topics besides harmonization activities
• Coordinator: Prof. Paul van Cauwenberge, University of Ghent, Belgium
• Secretary-General: Prof. Torsten Zuberbier, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
• EC Scientific Officers: Valérie Rolland, Laura Alexandrescu 
• EC contract number: FOOD-CT-2004-506378

Contact the Coordinating Office: Prof. Torsten Zuberbier, Charité, Berlin

What does “GA²LEN” stand for?

GA²LEN is an acronym for Global Allergy and Asthma (A²) European Network. The name commemorates Galenus, a Roman physician who was the first to provide a written description of the relationship between the nose and the lungs.

What is GA²LEN’s main objective?

GA²LEN aims to strengthen the impact of Europe’s research by integrating research teams from across Europe, and by communicating information beyond the research community to healthcare professionals, patients, policy makers and industry.

In pursuit of this goal, GA²LEN develops shared tools and methods for research and clinical practice. In the long run, GA²LEN’s research will lead to improved prevention, management and treatment of allergy and asthma – and a better quality of life for allergy patients across Europe.

GA²LEN Research

Who is involved in the Network?

Researchers – fundamental and clinical research, health professionals and patients are involved in GA²LEN for research and dissemination activities. The project is supported by the European Union as a research “Network of Excellence” coordinated by the University of Ghent, Belgium.

The network gathers a core group of 31 Partners: 27 universities or research institutes, 2 SMEs and 2 European societies representing allergists and allergic patients: the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), a scientific society, and the European Federation of Allergy and Airway Diseases Patients Association (EFA).

About 500 scientists are represented in the GA²LEN network.

More than 60 Collaborating research and clinical centres joined the network to date. GA²LEN is also supported by several companies from the pharmaceutical industry and welcomes sponsorship from the industry. 

Who is who in GA²LEN

How many countries are involved in GA²LEN?

GA²LEN partner centres are situated in 16 European countries. Including its Collaborating Centres, GA²LEN is present in 25 countries.

What is GA²LEN doing?

GA²LEN activities fall into three categories:

• An internal communication programme integrates existing activities and shares knowledge of the different partners. Activities include the development of quality management system for allergy centres, assistance in relation to research tools, databases, advice on gender issues, research ethics or intellectual property rights... 
• A series of joint research projects on issues identified as being of major importance to the prevention and management of allergies and asthma. The 9 chosen topics include research on disease mechanisms, risk factors, disease management and epidemiology. The research teams benefit from databases of birth cohorts and population-based studies, gene banks and clinical networks.
• An external communication programme to share important research findings with professionals, the public, policy makers and industry. These dissemination activities also include the organisation of training activities for clinicians, researchers, and physicians in private practice.

GA²LEN Research
GA²LEN Education and training

Why a “Network of Excellence” in allergy and asthma?

Asthma and allergy are Europe’s most common chronic diseases and their prevalence is increasing. Up to one child in three is affected, and trends indicate that by 2015, half of all Europeans may be suffering from an allergy. To ensure Europe retains its leading position in research on allergic diseases, the EU funded a Network of Excellence covering all aspects of asthma and allergy including its genetic basis, clinical treatment, environmental aspects, and social causes.

What is a Network of Excellence (NoE)?

A Network of Excellence (NoE) is an instrument of the EU Sixth Framework programme for research to strengthen scientific excellence on a research topic by integrating at European level, the critical mass of resources and expertise needed to provide European leadership in the field. NoEs aim to develop durable, sustainable structures.

What about food allergy?

The GA²LEN research programme covers the influence of nutrition and diet on the development of allergic diseases, but not specifically food allergy. A separate project funded by the European Union focuses on food allergy: EuroPrevall, Prevalence, Cost, and Basis of Food Allergy across Europe.
More on EuroPrevall

How is GA²LEN funded?

GA²LEN, is a Network of Excellence, funded by the European Union 6th Framework Programme for Research. The network is funded for 5 years by the European Union, starting February 2004. GA²LEN aims to become self-sustainable from February 2009 on and welcomes support from industry to achieve this end. Partner organisations and sponsors also contribute to the network activities. 

GA²LEN Partners

GA²LEN is a consortium of 31 partners coordinated by the University of Ghent, Belgium.
List of GA²LEN Partners 

To date, more than 60 Collaborating Centres have joined the GA²LEN network.
More information on Collaborating Centres

Why have allergy and asthma become a public health concern?

Allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever), asthma and eczema, are the most common chronic diseases in Europe and their prevalence is growing. Up to one child in three is affected, and trends indicate that by 2015, half of all Europeans may be suffering from an allergy. Some allergies may be fatal; others seriously compromise the quality of life: over 70% of allergy patients say they feel limited in their daily activities.

There is currently no cure for allergy and asthma, which generate costs both in treatment and regular health care use. Asthma alone is responsible for an estimated € 9.8 billion per year productivity loss in Europe to poor asthma control, according to EFA, theEuropean Federation of Allergy and Airway Diseases Patients Association, one of GA²LEN partners.

What are the research needs on allergy and asthma?

Scientists have shown that the number of people with atopy is increasing but they do not know why. These “atopic” persons have a genetic tendency to develop allergic diseases. Atopy involves the capacity to produce IgE antibodies in response to common environmental proteins such as house dust mites, grass pollen, and food allergens...

Several hypotheses are discussed such as the evolution of the “western lifestyle”, the hygiene hypothesis, genetics, environment changes... As well as identifying the cause of the increasing prevalence, which might lead to prevention, another challenge is to define the exact mechanisms causing allergic symptoms, which could lead to better treatments. Only two-thirds of people with allergen specific IgE develop symptoms.

Another question is why do some allergies worsen while others disappear. About 30% of patients with allergic rhinitis also develop asthma. Too little is known about this progression, known as the allergy “march”.

Finally several former assumptions have been contested during the last 10 years. European wide studies involving patients with different environment and lifestyles are crucial to understanding the development of allergic diseases, their evolution in life and ultimately how to treat them more effectively.

What is an allergy?

An allergy is a disorder in which the body becomes hypersensitive to particular substances, called allergens. The allergens provoke characteristic symptoms whenever they are subsequently inhaled, ingested, injected or otherwise contacted: it is the allergic reaction.

What do we refer to with “allergic diseases”?

Allergic diseases cover all diseases characterised by allergic reactions. Allergic diseases, also called “atopic diseases” by health professionals, include intermittent and chronic rhinitis, asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, gastrointestinal symptoms, urticaria, eczema... Allergic diseases are often called “global diseases” due to the large spectrum of symptoms affecting the whole body, as well as because of the increasing prevalence of allergic diseases worldwide.

Allergic symptoms can be triggered by a wide range of allergens including food, pollen, dust mites, pet furs…

• Allergic rhinitis – also known as hay fever when triggered by pollen – is allergy with nasal symptoms caused by outdoor or indoor allergens in people who are allergic to theses substances. Symptoms may be persistent.
• Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by recurrent breathing problems and symptoms such as breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness and coughing. In the most extreme cases, the airways can become so inflamated and restricted that people are ‘fighting for breath’.
• Food allergy is an allergic reaction triggered by food.
• Eczema and urticaria can be “atopic”. They are skin symptoms of allergic reactions that can be triggered by direct contact with an allergen on the skin but also by aeroallergens or food.

What is the “allergy march”?

The “allergy march” is the phenomenon in which some allergic symptoms, or test positivity, predict other allergic diseases later on. Typically, allergy symptoms start in infancy with eczema and develop with rhinitis and asthma later in life.

How frequent are allergic diseases?

Experts claim that up to one child in three is allergic today. Allergies and asthma are Europe’s most common chronic diseases. Their incidence has doubled over the last 30 years and more than half Europe’s citizens are likely to have an allergy by 2015.

• Allergy rhinitis: The prevalence reaches 10-20% in young school children and ranges from 15-30% in teenagers in different countries. The condition usually starts at 3-5 years of age but it is most common later in childhood and adolescence, where severe forms are also more frequent.
  A recent study shows that one in three allergic rhinitis patients may go on to develop asthma within 10 years.
• Allergy: Around 30 million people in Europe have asthma, and as many as 6 million suffer symptoms which are characterised as severe. Around 1.5 million people in Europe live in fear of dying from an attack. 
• Food allergy: Food allergy is estimated in the European Union between 4% in adults and 8% in children.

Figures on incidence, prevalence and costs of allergies and asthma are available in the “EFA fact sheet on allergy, asthma and COPD”, April 2003.

EFA, theEuropean Federation of Allergy and Airway Diseases Patients Association, is a Partner of GA²LEN.
EFA website