Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), founded in 1986, is performing basic research in the field of allergy and asthma with the aim to improve understanding and therapy of this disease, which affects around 30-40% of the westernized population. The institute has its roots in the tuberculosis research (1905, Medical Society founded by Dr. Turban), which aimed to understand the beneficial effects of high altitude treatment in Davos. Since then Prof. Kurt Blaser, the head of the institute from 1986-2006, directed the institute towards a cutting edge research institute, specialized in human immunobiology. Despite the small size of the institute (25-30 employees) and a very tight budget, the SIAF published over 600 publications since its existence in peer-reviewed journals.