We had the pleasure and were honoured to advise Peter Hellings in the development of his EUFOREA centre in Brussels and as patron.
Peter Hellings
Peter Hellings has held various posts at the University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven) since 2004, where he has been professor since 2012. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Hellings is also a researcher at the Clinical Immunology Laboratory. He is a member of the Flemish Agency for Care and Health, and has served as the Belgian representative in the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery and coordinator of the Excellence in Rhinoplasty course at KU Leuven since 2008.
Peter Hellings conducts research into the mechanisms of chronic upper respiratory tract conditions, with a particular focus on allergic rhinitis such as hay fever and the non-allergic form that causes similar symptoms of stuffy nose and sneezing. A further area of interest is chronic rhinosinusitis – an inflammation of the mucous membrane in the nasal passage and sinuses – and in functional and aesthetic nasal problems. His research spans the entire spectrum from animal research to in vitro and clinical studies. He has received various research grants and international awards for his scientific work. Hellings has also authored many articles in leading scientific journals including Nature, Lancet, Allergy, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Journal of Clinical Investigation and Journal of Immunology.
The European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airway diseases (EUFOREA) was founded as an international non-profit organization under Belgian law in 2015 by the allergy and immunology specialists Claus Bachert, Jean Bousquet, Wytske Fokkens and Peter Hellings working in leading research institutes on allergy, asthma and upper airway diseases of the EU countries.
Allergies and Chronic Airway Diseases are the most common chronic diseases in children and throughout the life cycle. It presents a major worldwide health problem irrespective of income. EUFOREA aims at reducing the prevalence and burden of chronic respiratory diseases in Europe via education, research, development, advocacy and implementation of the principles of Precision Medicine.
Joining forces is therefore essential. EUFOREA brings together specialists from the entire healthcare system that will, in turn, create opportunities for new innovative thinking and development of new techniques, devices, protocols and concepts. More than 30 key opinions leaders, professors, top researchers and practitioners from all over Europe confirmed their commitment to join forces through the EUFOREA network.
Vision
EUFOREA is an international non-profit organisation forming an alliance of all stakeholders from national and international organizations, institutions, and agencies working towards the common vision of preventing and improving the burden of chronic airway diseases (asthma and allergic diseases).
Mission
EUFOREA proposes to reduce the preventable and avoidable burden of morbidity and disability due to chronic airway diseases by means of a multidisciplinary practical approach with all stakeholders at national, regional and global levels, so that populations reach the highest attainable standards of health and productivity at every age and those diseases are no longer a barrier to well-being or socio-economic development.
Given the novel scientific data on prediction and prevention of allergic and airways diseases, the cost of inaction is unacceptable and there is an urgent need to undertake integrated actions in Europe joining forces in a multi-specialty way with all stakeholders.