Hongkai Tan

Insect Allergy Stream PhD Scholar 

• PhD Candidate, University of New South Wales
• Project: Role of glyco-antigens (including alpha-gal) in tick-induced anaphylaxis and their clinical significance (including the development of concurrent mammalian meat allergy in tick anaphylaxis sufferers)
• Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Alice Lee, Food Allergy Stream Advisory Group member
• Project leader, State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology of China 

Why is this research important to you personally, and those living with insect allergy? 

I have been studying allergy in the State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology of China during my postgraduate research program, and developed a deep understanding of the pain patients suffer as a result of allergic disease. I urgently want to help develop the understanding and novel therapeutics in tick-induced anaphylaxis to help patients. This research will help pave the way towards component-resolved diagnostics and immunotherapy opportunities for insect allergy, and help people plagued by insect allergy all around the world.

What inspired you to pursue a career in allergy research?  

During my postgraduate studies, I accidentally found out I am allergic to milk. I understand how uncomfortable being impacted by allergy is. Tick-induced mammalian meat allergy has become an emergent allergy world-wide, especially in Australia. China has also reported cases of this allergy, though minor, but with a growing tendency. Our understanding of tick-induced mammalian meat allergy is still so limited. To help, I want to devote myself to insect allergy research and expand our knowledge of how to treat and prevent this illness.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

Allergenicity evaluation of peptides from milk and yogurt after gastrointestinal digestion based on epitopes. Food & Function, Oct 2022