Covid-19 risk increases with airborne pollen

31. March 2021

When airborne pollen levels are higher, increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates can be observed. These results were determined by a large-scale study conducted by an international team headed by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Helmholtz Zentrum München. Members of high-risk groups could protect themselves by watching pollen forecasts and wearing dust filter masks.

In the spring of 2020, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic appeared to coincide with the tree pollen season in the northern hemisphere. These observations prompted an international team of researchers to conduct an extensive investigation: The scientists wanted to know whether there is a demonstrable link between airborne pollen concentrations and SARS-CoV-2 infection rates.

Pollen is a significant environmental factor influencing infection rates
Based on CK-CARE research and under the leadership of first author Athanasios Damialis, the team at the Chair of Environmental Medicine at TUM collected data on airborne pollen concentrations, weather conditions and SARS-CoV-2 infections – taking into consideration the variation of infection rates from one day to another and the total number of positive tests. In their calculations, the team also included data on population density and the effects of lockdown measures. The 154 researchers analyzed pollen data from 130 stations in 31 countries on five continents.

„Wearing a particle filtering mask when pollen concentrations are high can keep both the virus and pollen out of the airways.”— Prof. Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann

The team showed that airborne pollen can account for, on average, 44 percent of the variation in infection rates, with humidity and air temperature also playing a role in some cases. During intervals without lockdown regulations, infection rates were on average 4 percent higher with every increase of 100 grains of airborne pollen per cubic meter. In some German cities, concentrations of up to 500 pollen grains per cubic meter per day were recorded during the study – which led to an overall increase in infection rates of more than 20 percent. In regions where lockdown rules were in effect, however, the infection numbers were on average only half as high at comparable pollen concentrations.

New insights into the spatial organization of inflammation in atopic dermatitis

30. September 2026

In our study published in Allergy, we investigated how immune cells and their interactions are spatially organized in the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis. Using spatial transcriptomics combined with single-cell RNA sequencing data, imaging mass cytometry and multiplex immunofluorescence, we identified conserved immune niches at the dermal-epidermal junction.

These niches are characterized by the close spatial association of CD4⁺ T cells and mature migratory dendritic cells (mmDCs) and show signatures of local T cell activation and Type 2 cytokine signaling. They are embedded within a broader inflammatory microenvironment involving fibroblasts and keratinocytes and display transcriptional features resembling tertiary lymphoid structures.

Our findings suggest that specialized immune niches within the skin may sustain local T cell activation and thereby contribute to chronic inflammation and disease relapse in atopic dermatitis. The mmDC – T cell interaction therefore represents an interesting potential target for future therapeutic strategies aimed at achieving more durable disease control.

Read the manuscript: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.70513

Farewell to the entrepreneur and philanthropist Klaus-Michael Kühne

25. August 2026

Klaus-Michael Kühne has died at the age of 89 in his home in Switzerland following a prolonged illness.

With the passing of Klaus-Michael Kühne, the ‘Kühne world’ loses not only an extremely successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, but also a highly influential figure. Without his commitment, his drive and his courage, the Kühne Foundation would not be where it is today.

The foundation was established 50 years ago out of the conviction that business success goes hand in hand with social responsibility. What began as a local organisation is now one of the largest foundations in Europe: internationally oriented, decentralised, efficient and independent in its actions. Around 800 staff members are involved in practical programmes and projects focusing on logistics, climate, medicine and culture. These operational activities underline the founder’s commitment to taking responsibility and bringing about sustainable improvements in society through active engagement.

It is the proceeds from Klaus-Michael Kühne’s impressive entrepreneurial endeavours that the Foundation uses to find solutions to global challenges. And it is his entrepreneurial principles – which have time and again been applied to the Foundation’s purpose – that provide guidance to the Kühne Foundation and will continue to do so even after his passing.

Prof. Dr. Kilian Eyerich is our new member of the Scientific Board

2. December 2025

As of November 2025, we welcome Prof. Dr. Kilian Eyerich as a new member of our Scientific Board.
Prof. Dr. Kilian Eyerich is the Medical Director of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at the University Medical Center Freiburg.
With his appointment to our board, the University of Freiburg becomes an additional research center within the CK-CARE consortium.

The Freiburg site strengthens the research network with its outstanding expertise in T-cell immunology, with a particular focus on tissue-resident memory T cells and their role in the development and persistence of atopic dermatitis. The team aims to apply T-cell–targeted therapies even more precisely in the future and thereby sustainably influence immunological memory in a positive way.

At the core of their work is the recruitment of patients as well as the collection and integration of data and samples from the ProRaD study, a prospective longitudinal study investigating the remission phase of atopic dermatitis and other allergy-associated diseases such as asthma, food allergies, and allergic rhinitis.

We look forward to a successful collaboration and warmly welcome Kilian Eyerich and his team to the CK-CARE consortium.

5th Global Allergy Forum in Davos: Allergy and Environment in Focus

31. October 2025

From October 16–18, 2025, more than 70 international experts gathered at the Medicine Campus Davos for the 5th Global Allergy Forum. Under the theme “Allergy and Environment – Loss of Balance and Ways to Restore It”, participants explored how environmental factors drive the rise of allergic diseases and discussed innovative strategies to restore immune balance. Key topics included nutrition and environmental exposures, the role of skin and mucosal barriers, psychoneuroimmunology, and the use of artificial intelligence in allergy research. The forum’s conclusions will be summarized in the upcoming “Davos Declaration.”

More here

New Publication in Allergy: From Disease Control to Disease Modification – The Atopic Dermatitis Disease Activity Index

3. September 2025

“New and advanced treatments for atopic dermatitis (AD) are moving beyond just managing symptoms. For some patients, these therapies can modify the disease itself, potentially leading to long-term remission (“deep remission”) even after stopping medication. This new treatment goal is called “disease modification.” The aim is to fundamentally change the course of AD and its related health conditions, offering transformative and lasting relief. However, optimal measurement of deep remission remains a key challenge for clinicians, researchers, regulators, and ultimately the payers. Our recent publication in Allergy discussing the Atopic Dermatitis Disease Activity Index (ADDAI), a composite tool to help determine if a treatment has successfully achieved true disease modification, helping doctors and patients know if the right treatment approach has been found. (link to publication).

From Disease Control to Disease Modification: The AtopicDermatitis Disease Activity Index

New Study Published in Nutrients: Diet Diversity and Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet Pattern in Pregnancy Is Protective Against the Development of Early-Childhood Atopic Dermatitis

18. July 2025

We are proud to share our latest paper published in Nutrients by the CK-CARE Consortium:

read study

This study, conducted within the CARE birth cohort, provides new insights into how maternal nutrition during pregnancy influences the development of atopic dermatitis in early childhood.

Key findings:

A Mediterranean diet during pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of early childhood AD.
Greater dietary diversity is also associated with a lower AD risk.
In contrast, frequent red meat consumption correlates with persistent AD symptoms.

These results underscore the importance of nutritional patterns—not just individual nutrients—in shaping immune development and allergic disease susceptibility.

Congratulations to the research team as well as all members of the CK-CARE study group and our international collaborators.

At CK-CARE, we are committed to advancing prevention strategies for allergic diseases through interdisciplinary and translational research. This study highlights the critical window of opportunity during pregnancy for long-term immune health.