The Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has expanded greatly in research, education, and patient care efforts in the last several years. The Division has developed a national and international reputation related to its basic and clinical research. Senior faculty have chaired and been members of prestigious national panels and National Institutes of Health review committees related to the fields of allergy, immunology, autoimmunity and asthma. The research base of our Division is well funded through NIH grants. Members of our Division have become key collaborators for clinical immunology research in multiple other Divisions within the Department of Medicine. In addition, we continue to be regarded as one of the best training programs in Allergy and Clinical Immunology in the country related to an extensive effort in education, availability of a diverse array of patients, and establishment of multiple research programs for possible training.
On the clinical front, a close affiliation exists between University of Colorado and the National Jewish Health. Clinics exist at both locations.
LEADERSHIP
Dr. Andrew Fontenot is the Head of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Colorado. Dr. Fontenot is a Professor of Medicine and the holder of the Henry N. Claman Endowed Chair. His research interests include T cell recognition of metals, the role of CD4+ T cells in granulomatous and other lung diseases, and Th17 cytokines and their role in lung inflammation and fibrosis.
Rafeul Alam, MD, PhD is the Head of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at National Jewish Health. Dr. Alam’s research interests include signal transduction of inflammatory cells, cytokine biology, animal models of allergy and asthma, and allergic rhinitis.
In conjunction with the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at National Jewish Health, the division offers a broad-based, accredited, 3-year fellowship program.
CLINIMMUNE LABS
The Division also houses ClinImmune Labs which has grown tremendously in size and recognition under the direction and expertise of Brian Freed, PhD. It provides HLA-typing support for many of the transplantation programs within the region and is recognized as a leading tissue-typing and reference laboratory within the country. Recently, ClinImmune labs also acquired the Colorado Cord Blood Bank. As a division of ClinImmune Labs, the cord bank has its own HLA laboratory to provide rapid confirmatory typing of cord blood units. ClinImmune Labs is located at Bioscience Park Center on the new Anschutz Medical Campus.
A LOOK TO THE FUTURE
The goals of the Division continue to be excellence in research, teaching and patient care. We plan to continue to expand programs in basic and clinical research. We will continue to work closely in research with the Divisions of Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases, and Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care as well as with the new faculty who will be able to broaden our basic research and clinical research programs even further. We will continue to attract the best trainees in allergy and clinical immunology and to bring in additional post-doctoral fellows and graduate students interested in research in one of our clinical immunology programs. High-quality teaching for clinical fellows will remain a high priority for our Division faculty. Finally, we plan to continue to provide high-quality care for patients. Our Division has great enthusiasm and energy. We are proud to be able to work closely with other divisions within the Department of Medicine, which is one of the leading departments in the country.