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Details

Role Team Leader / Principal Research Fellow
Research area Population Health
Associate Professor Rachel Peters is head of the epidemiology stream of the Population Allergy research group at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. She leads a research program using large, longitudinal, population-based studies to understand the causes and consequences of childhood food allergy.

Associate Professor Peters is the principal investigator of the longitudinal HealthNuts study of food allergy, which has followed a cohort of over 5,000 children since infancy. HealthNuts is entering its fifth wave as participants turn 15 years of age, which aims to describe the natural history of food allergy and understand the adverse consequences of food allergy on children’s future health.

She also leads the first follow-up of the EarlyNuts study, which aims to understand the impact of changing infant feeding guidelines for food allergy prevention, on the prevalence of food allergy and other health outcomes. Associate Professor Peters is custodian of the SchoolNuts study which examined food allergy and other allergic diseases in 10-14 students. Together these cohorts total over 17,000 participants.

Collectively, her research program aims to identify risk factors and biomarkers of food allergy persistence and resolution, understand why adolescents are at high risk of recurrent and severe food-induced allergic reactions, quantify the adverse consequences of infant food allergy on children's future health, particularly lung and psychosocial health and measure the impact of food allergy prevention strategies on children’s health.

Associate Professor Peters also leads or co-leads several projects aiming to improve the diagnosis of food allergy, understand the immune mechanisms underpinning the natural resolution of food allergy, and collaborate on randomised control trials (RCTs) on the prevention and treatment of food allergy. She has published over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles, received over $10 million in research funding and is involved in updating international guidelines on the diagnosis of food allergy.
Associate Professor Rachel Peters is head of the epidemiology stream of the Population Allergy research group at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. She leads a research program using large, longitudinal, population-based studies to understand...
Associate Professor Rachel Peters is head of the epidemiology stream of the Population Allergy research group at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. She leads a research program using large, longitudinal, population-based studies to understand the causes and consequences of childhood food allergy.

Associate Professor Peters is the principal investigator of the longitudinal HealthNuts study of food allergy, which has followed a cohort of over 5,000 children since infancy. HealthNuts is entering its fifth wave as participants turn 15 years of age, which aims to describe the natural history of food allergy and understand the adverse consequences of food allergy on children’s future health.

She also leads the first follow-up of the EarlyNuts study, which aims to understand the impact of changing infant feeding guidelines for food allergy prevention, on the prevalence of food allergy and other health outcomes. Associate Professor Peters is custodian of the SchoolNuts study which examined food allergy and other allergic diseases in 10-14 students. Together these cohorts total over 17,000 participants.

Collectively, her research program aims to identify risk factors and biomarkers of food allergy persistence and resolution, understand why adolescents are at high risk of recurrent and severe food-induced allergic reactions, quantify the adverse consequences of infant food allergy on children's future health, particularly lung and psychosocial health and measure the impact of food allergy prevention strategies on children’s health.

Associate Professor Peters also leads or co-leads several projects aiming to improve the diagnosis of food allergy, understand the immune mechanisms underpinning the natural resolution of food allergy, and collaborate on randomised control trials (RCTs) on the prevention and treatment of food allergy. She has published over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles, received over $10 million in research funding and is involved in updating international guidelines on the diagnosis of food allergy.

Top Publications

  • Peters, RL, Dang, TD, Allen, KJ. Specific oral tolerance induction in childhood.. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 27(8) : 784 -794 2016
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  • Koplin, JJ, Peters, RL, Dharmage, SC, Gurrin, L, Tang, MLK, Ponsonby, A-L, Matheson, M, Togias, A, Lack, G, Allen, KJ, et al. Understanding the feasibility and implications of implementing early peanut introduction for prevention of peanut allergy.. J Allergy Clin Immunol 138(4) : 1131 -1141.e2 2016
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  • Peters, RL, Allen, KJ. The Role of Hypoallergenic Formula and Dietary Supplements in the Prevention of Early Onset Allergic Disease. Current Pediatrics Reports 4(3) : 101 -109 2016
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  • Goldsmith, AJ, Koplin, JJ, Lowe, AJ, Tang, ML, Matheson, MC, Robinson, M, Peters, R, Dharmage, SC, Allen, KJ. Formula and breast feeding in infant food allergy: A population-based study.. J Paediatr Child Health 52(4) : 377 -384 2016
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  • Panjari, M, Koplin, JJ, Dharmage, SC, Peters, RL, Gurrin, LC, Sawyer, SM, McWilliam, V, Eckert, JK, Vicendese, D, Erbas, B, et al. Nut allergy prevalence and differences between Asian-born children and Australian-born children of Asian descent: a state-wide survey of children at primary school entry in Victoria, Australia.. Clin Exp Allergy 46(4) : 602 -609 2016
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