Christiane Hilger PhD

Dr. Christiane Hilger obtained her PhD at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. Following a short postdoctoral period at the same institute, she joined the Luxembourg Institute of Health and engaged in allergy research. Since 1996 she built up and coordinates research on the characterization and purification of allergen molecules from different sources such as meat and animal epithelia. The team has established a unique portfolio of allergens that are used in IgE diagnosis. The analysis and availability of those allergens explain existing links between sensitivity to different animals as well as the link between respiratory symptoms to animal fur and food allergy to meat. For a few years, the team has initiated research on a new type of food allergy, the alpha-gal syndrome, a delayed allergy to red meat which is related to tick bites.

Dr. Hilger’s main research interests are the improvement of allergy diagnosis by defining allergenic molecules, the understanding of mechanisms which trigger allergic sensitization and the development of immunotherapy. Dr. Hilger has full supervision rights for PhD candidates granted by the University of Luxembourg and is a member of several international working groups. She is a board member of the WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee and secretary of the Interest Group ‘Allergy Diagnosis & Systems Medicine’ of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. She is associate editor of the journal Frontiers in Allergy.