NIAID’s new research vision reflects an important shift: immune health is finally being recognized as foundational to human health.

By Ilana Golant, Food Allergy Fund Founder and CEO

January 27, 2026 - For decades, allergic and autoimmune diseases were often treated as secondary priorities in federal research agendas. Now, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is elevating immunology—alongside infectious diseases—as a core pillar for improving health outcomes. The National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya and NIAID Acting Director Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger shared this vision at the FAF Leadership Forum event in Washington, DC, and now this shows the continuing prioritization.

This matters because the immune system shapes nearly every chronic condition we care about today. Allergies, autoimmune disease, chronic inflammation, and even metabolic and cardiovascular conditions are rooted in immune development and regulation—often beginning in early life.

Seeing federal priorities align with the Food Allergy Fund vision is encouraging. But research agendas only matter if they translate into real-world breakthroughs for patients and families.

The future of health will be built on immune resilience, and it starts with understanding the immune system from day one.

Read the NIAID research vision: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04160-1