In the News

November 10, 2021

Covid Infection and Covid Vaccination Both Produce Antibody Response in Breast Milk.

 Bridget Young, Ph.D., and Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, Ph.D., M.D., were interviewed by Rochester First (Nov. 10) about their study published in JAMA Pediatrics.  The study found evidence that mothers with two types of immunity from COVID, disease-acquired (those who have contracted COVID and recovered) and mRNA vaccination-acquired, produced breast milk with active SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

• "COVID antibodies found in breast milk of vaccinated, previously-infected mothers," Rochseter First
• "New Study Finds Evidence of COVID Antibodies in Breast Milk of Vaccinated Mothers," URMC Newsroom
• “Comparison of human milk antibody induction, persistence, and neutralizing capacity in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection versus mRNA vaccination,” JAMA Pediatrics

October 12, 2021

• John J. Condemi Award
  Dr. Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, Chief of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at the University of Rochester Medical Center received the John J. Condemi Award, given to medical professionals who have improved life, health and hope for individuals and families with life-threatening allergies through clinical treatment and new research. 

September 28, 2021

• No evidence breastfeeding after vaccination is anything but safe 
  AP News debunks some social media misinformation.

August 23, 2021

• Jessica Stern M.D. M.S. was awarded the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program. 

This is a two-year award of $120,000, per year, in recognition of outstanding professional achievements and promise as a community-oriented clinical researcher.

April 8, 2021

• Vaccinated Mothers Are Trying to Give Babies Antibodies Via Breast Milk
  The New York Times - Research is too premature for vaccinated mothers who are breastfeeding to act as if their babies can’t get infected, says Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, the chief of pediatric allergy and immunology and the Founders’ Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Allergy. “There is no direct evidence that the COVID antibodies in breast milk are protecting the infant—only pieces of evidence suggesting that could be the case.”

February 10, 2021

• Can Mother's Milk Help Fight COVID? New Evidence Suggests 'Yes'
• URMC research sheds light on breastfeeding while COVID-positive URMC researchers joined with other hospitals to study lactating mothers throughout the first 20 days of a positive diagnosis...

July 16, 2020

• Jessica Stern, M. D. and colleagues recently published their findings on the association between food allergy and asthma morbidity in The Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Read the article at: Food allergy in at-risk adolescents with asthma  - A key area for focus (subscription required). The abstract is available on PubMed

April 24, 2019

• Pediatric Grand Rounds - Ham Lecture "Understanding the Food Allergy Epidemic" 8:00 a.m.
  Speaker: Emily McGowan, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Virginia School of Medicine

March 9, 2019

• Pediatric Allergy Provider Update
  The inaugural Pediatric Allergy Provider Update was held on Saturday, March 9, 2019. The conference allows medical professionals, who provide care to pediatric patients, to learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of allergic disease in children.

March 13, 2019

• "Stemming the Rise in Food Allergy: Prevention and Future Treatments" Hugh A. Sampson, M.D.

November 20, 2018

• Peanut Allergy Study Holds Hope for Lifesaving Treatment
  "This could be lifesaving for individuals who are so reactive that they could have an anaphylactic reaction to a very small amount of product that is only present, in say, a cross-contact situation." said Jarvinen-Seppo.
• Promising Peanut Allergy Study Could Bring Peace of Mind
• New study suggests treatment to peanut allergies
• New 'breakthrough' study for peanut allergy patients praised by Rochester doctors
• Peanut allergy treatment under study at URMC shows promising results

October 27, 2018

• Food Allergy Symposium
  Our first annual food allergy symposium for parents and caregivers of children with food allergies was held in October. The event included topics on new research, emerging therapies and nutritional management, followed by a panel discussion with experts.

May 22, 2018

• Assembly Update: Epinephrine/Allergies/ and Anaphylaxis
  Assemblyman Abinanti discusses the need for education in respect to epinephrine auto-injectors with allergist Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, Food Allergy Research and Education advocate Jennifer Jobrack, and NYS families whose children died when first responders failed to use epinephrine.

September 22, 2017

• URMC Selected to Join National Food Allergy Research Network

January 05, 2017

• New guidelines recommend giving peanut-based foods to babies to prevent allergies
  WHEC interview with Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, M.D., Ph.D.

August 17, 2016

• URMC Doctor: Families suffering from rising cost of EpiPens
  WHAM interview with Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, M.D., Ph.D.

October 5, 2015

• Peanut butter plant coming to Livingston
  Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

March 16, 2015

• Could Peanuts Prevent Peanut Allergy?
  By Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, M.D., Ph.D.
• Connections: Can You Prevent Food Allergies?
  WXXI interview with Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, M.D., Ph.D and Melissa Berry, R.D.
• To Eat or Not to Eat? And Other Burning Questions in Food Allergy
  University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds - Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo, M.D., Ph.D.
  Instructions for viewing