The Clinical Research (CR) Forum, a non-profit membership association of top clinical research experts and thought leaders from the nation’s leading academic health centers, presented the Distinguished Clinical Research Achievement Award to two outstanding studies at the Top Ten Clinical Research Achievement Awards on April 14th at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.
Robert Wood, MD, deputy director of Pediatric Research and associate program director of the ICTR Clinical Research Units (CRUs), was recognized as a recipient of the Distinguished Clinical Research Achievement Award for his study, RCT for Treatment of Food Allergies. This award comes with a cash prize of $5,000. The Distinguished Clinical Research Achievement Award is presented to the top two studies that show creativity, innovation, or a novel approach that demonstrates an immediate impact on the health and well-being of patients.
RCT for Treatment of Food Allergies published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February 2024 revealed that omalizumab, a drug previously approved by the FDA for asthma treatment, can also protect individuals with multiple severe food allergies from life-threatening allergic reactions. This groundbreaking study was led by Dr. Robert Wood and his team, and it paved the way for the FDA’s approval of omalizumab for the treatment of multiple food allergies—marking a significant advancement in allergy care. Prior to this, the only FDA-approved medication for food allergies targeted peanut allergies exclusively. Omalizumab demonstrated effectiveness not only against peanuts but also against milk, egg, cashew, walnut, and hazelnut allergies, offering new hope to patients and families affected by a broader range of food allergens.
“This year’s award winners demonstrate the immense value of our nation’s investment in clinical research, and the direct impact of that work on the health of millions of people in the United States,” said Harry P. Selker, MD, MSPH, CR Forum Board Chair and Dean of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Tufts University. “All of these studies are scientifically brilliant. I cannot emphasize enough the pride I feel for the amazing work of our colleagues and clinical research as a field.”
The CR Forum presents its annual Top Ten Clinical Research Achievement Awards to highlight outstanding research advances that involve both innovation and impact on human diseases. A complete list of the 2025 Top Ten Award Winners can be found at www.clinicalresearchforum.org.
