Faculty Appointments
Patient Care Setting
Pediatrics
Biography
Dr. Järvinen-Seppo is the Chief of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology and holds the inaugural Founders' Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Allergy. She is the Director of the Center for Food Allergy, which is the FARE Clinical Network Center of Excellence, sponsored by the Food Allergy Research and Education. This is a multidisciplinary program that provides comprehensive care to families with food allergies including specialists in allergy, gastroenterology, dermatology, and counseling for dietary and psychologic aspects. Her clinical interests are focused on various types of food allergy, including immediate-type allergies, eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease, food protein-induced enterocolitis, and allergic proctocolitis, as well as atopic dermatitis, anaphylaxis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and urticaria. Through her interest and research on human milk, she serves on the Executive Committee for the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML) and on USDA-sponsored Dietary Guidance Development Project for Infants and Pregnant Mothers. She is also an active participant in the Allergy and Immunology Fellowship Training program and an Associate Editor for the Frontiers in Allergy, Section Allergens.
Professional Background
Dr. Järvinen-Seppo is an Allergist and Immunologist at the Strong Memorial and Golisano Children's Hospitals. She received her M.D. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Helsinki, Finland. She was trained at the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City for a post-doctoral research fellowship and completed a residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at the Mount Sinai Hospital. She held faculty positions at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai followed by Albany Medical College before joining the University of Rochester Medical Center in 2014 to build the Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.
Research
Dr. Järvinen-Seppo directs an NIH-funded translational research program focused on developmental aspects of the infant systemic and mucosal immune system relating to mechanisms behind development of food allergy, atopic dermatitis and the whole atopic march. She is particularly interested in the role of maternal and infant environmental factors and breast milk composition in shaping the early infant immune system and uses human cohorts and laboratory bench research approaches to answer the mechanistic questions. She is also interested in antibody-mediated protection against respiratory and diarrheal diseases provided by breast milk in infants, funded through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Her research has been published in leading medical journals and she is a regular speaker at local, national and international professional and community events.
Credentials
Specialties
Education
1996
MD | University of Helsinki (Finland)
2000
PHD | University of Helsinki (Finland)
Post-doctoral Training & Residency
07/01/2005 - 06/30/2008
Fellowship in Allergy & Immunology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
07/01/2004 - 06/30/2005
Residency in Pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
07/01/2003 - 06/30/2004
Internship in Pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
07/01/1999 - 06/30/2001
Fellowship in Pediatrics, Pediatric Allergy & Immunology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
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Awards
2022
Isil Berat Barlan Memorial Lectureship
Sponsor: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
2022
"Health Care Hero" Medical Professional Award
Sponsor: Rochester Business Journal
2021
Dr John J. Condemi Award
Sponsor: Allergy Advocacy Association
2018
Ruth Lawrence Academic Faculty Service Award in Research
Sponsor: Dept. of Pediatrics, UR, Golisano Children's Hospital
2011
NIH NIAID Physician Scientist Award
2007
Third-Year Fellow-in-Training Research Award
Sponsor: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI)
2007
AAAAI Jaffe Food Allergy Research Award
Sponsor: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
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Clinical Trials
A Phase 1b/2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center study of STMC-103H in neonates and infants at risk for developing allergic disease
Lead Researcher: Kirsi Jarvinen-seppo
Early administration of beneficial bacteria that promote immune tolerance represents a novel approach for the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis and asthma. STMC-103H is a live biotherapeutic product (LBP) containing a consortium of
intestinal bacteria that may impact the incidence of allergic sensitization and disease in
neonates and infants at risk for developing allergy and asthma. STMC-103H is an oral capsule containing powder which will be mixed with a small amount of breastmilk, the participant’s formula, or a milk product. Siolta Therapeutics is testing this investigational drug for the prevention of allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis (eczema), food allergy, asthma, and allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
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A Phase 2 Study to Evaluate the Sensitivity, Specificity and Safety of DBV1605, a Ready-to-Use Atopy Patch Test for the Diagnosis of Non-Immunoglobulin E Mediated Cow's Milk Allergy in Children
Lead Researcher: Kirsi Jarvinen-seppo
Food allergy represents a major public health concern affecting approximately 8% of children and 5% of adults. Cow's milk allergy is the most common food allergy in infants and young children in developed countries. There are no validated tests for the diagnosis of delayed onset cow's milk allergy. Patients in the Disease group will attend 6 to 7 study visits within 3 months and will have phone calls scheduled with the study site, each for a period of 5 days. Entire Study participation will be up to 3 months. A group of children with suspected cow's milk allergy aged from >28 days to ≤24 months will be considered for participation in the study.
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Publications
Journal Articles
3/9/2023
Seppo AE, Jackson CM, Järvinen KM. "The role of IgA in food allergy remains elusive - timing is everything?" The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.. 2023 Mar 9; Epub 2023 Mar 09.
1/7/2023
Jackson CM, Kaplan AN, Järvinen KM. "Environmental Exposures may Hold the Key; Impact of Air Pollution, Greenness, and Rural/Farm Lifestyle on Allergic Outcomes." Current allergy and asthma reports.. 2023 Jan 7; Epub 2023 Jan 07.
2023
Pier J, Bingemann T, Badwal J, Rosloff D, Pasha M, Wang H, Lomas JM, Järvinen KM. "Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome: Healthcare utilization and referral patterns among a pediatric cohort." . 2023 4:1102410. Epub 2023 Feb 10.
Books & Chapters
2023
Chapter Title: Choosing an Appropriate Cow's Milk Substitute While Breastfeeding, Formula Feeding, and Beyond.
Book Title: Health Professional's Guide to Nutrition Management of Food Allergies.
Author List: Meyer R, Burris A, Järvinen KM, Szajewska H.
Edited By: Carina Venter, Marion Groetch, John James, and Scott Sicherer
Published By: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2023
2014
Chapter Title: Breast- always best?
Book Title: Allergy, immunity and tolerance in early childhood: The first two thousand days of the Atopic March
Author List: Järvinen KM, Bergmann R.
Edited By: Wahn U, Sampson HA (eds).
Published By: Elsevier 2014
2011
Chapter Title: Food-Induced Anaphylaxis
Book Title: Anaphylaxis and Hypersensitivity Reactions from Molecular Markers to Rapid Desensitizations.
Author List: Järvinen KM, Nowak-Wegrzyn A.
Edited By: Castells MC (ed).
Published By: Springer 2011 in New York
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