Canadian FAIT Research
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About the Network

One network, working toward a future without food allergy fear.

Canadian FAIT Research unites research, family & allergist resources, and education — connected to the FAIT Program at UBC and BC Children's Hospital.

Nearly a Decade

From one volunteer committee to a national network.

2017 to today — the timeline below traces how a single BC fundraising effort grew into research, resources and education reaching families across the country.

Our Mission

Why this exists

The mission of the FAIT Program is to develop and deliver cutting-edge food allergy treatments to families who desire them — studying the implementation of safe, standardized food immunotherapy protocols in the real world, within the context of Canada's publicly funded health-care system.

Food allergies are a growing challenge for children and families. Many children live with the daily reality of avoiding common allergens — because even tiny exposures can trigger severe, potentially life-threatening reactions. Currently, the only reliable way to manage many food allergies is strict avoidance and carrying emergency medication, which places a heavy burden on families and can limit a child's participation in everyday life. There is a growing demand for safe, effective, evidence-based treatments that can reduce risk, reduce fear, and restore a sense of normalcy — and that is what this Network works toward.

2017

OITforBC

Following the first hospital-based oral immunotherapy program in Canada (Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal), Dr. Edmond Chan formed a volunteer parent committee to fundraise for a similar program at BC Children's Hospital.

2017–2020

The FAIT Program

Generous donations funded the creation of the Food Allergy Immunotherapy (FAIT) Program, dedicated to studying the implementation of food immunotherapy into clinical practice at BC Children's Hospital and UBC.

2026 →

Canadian FAIT Research

The umbrella bringing research, resources and education together in one place — for research teams, allergists, and families nationwide.

Our Team

The people behind the research

Listed in the order the Program lists them.

Physicians & Program Leadership
Dr. Edmond S. Chan, MD
Dr. Edmond S. Chan, MD
FAIT Allergist · Head, Division of Allergy, UBC
Dr. Edmond S. Chan is a Pediatric Allergist, UBC Clinical Professor, Clinical Investigator (BC Children's Hospital Research Institute), and Head (UBC Division of Allergy, BC Children's Hospital), where he leads a food allergy research program. He has over 220 peer-reviewed publications, primarily on food allergy, and is President of the Canadian Society of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (CSACI). He has led the national CAN-FAIT collaboration since 2017 and co-led the first-ever Canadian oral immunotherapy clinical practice guidelines, published in 2020.
Dr. Lianne Soller, PhD
Dr. Lianne Soller, PhD
FAIT Program Manager, Allergy Research Manager, UBC
Dr. Lianne Soller manages a growing food allergy research program on the treatment of food allergy with oral immunotherapy at BC Children's Hospital, and developed the first research program in Canada to better understand food allergy associated anxiety and create strategies to help families cope.
Dr. Raymond Mak, MD
Dr. Raymond Mak, MD
FAIT Allergist · RAPT Trial PI · Adolescent Transition Lead
Dr. Raymond Mak is an Allergy specialist at BC Children's Hospital and Division Head of Allergy and Immunology at Vancouver General Hospital. He directs the Adolescent Transition FAIT Program, helping adolescents navigate their food allergy treatment journey from pediatric to adult care.
Dr. Tiffany Wong, MD
Dr. Tiffany Wong, MD
Pediatric Allergist, BC Children's Hospital
Dr. Tiffany Wong is a Pediatric Allergist and Clinical Assistant Professor with the Department of Paediatrics at BC Children's Hospital. Her primary areas of clinical interest are drug and food allergy, and health quality improvement science.
Dr. Stephanie Erdle, MD
Dr. Stephanie Erdle, MD
Pediatric Allergist, BC Children's Hospital
Dr. Stephanie Erdle is a Pediatric Allergist with the Department of Paediatrics at BC Children's Hospital. Her primary areas of clinical interest are food allergy, oral immunotherapy, and eosinophilic esophagitis.
Dr. Vicky Le Blanc, MD
Dr. Vicky Le Blanc, MD, FRCPC
Pediatric Allergist, BC Children's Hospital
Dr. Vicky Le Blanc is a Pediatric Allergist with the Department of Pediatrics at BC Children's Hospital. Her areas of clinical interest and research are food allergy, including oral immunotherapy and food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome.
Dr. Alanna Chomyn, MD
Dr. Alanna Chomyn, MD
Pediatric Allergist, BC Children's Hospital
Dr. Alanna Chomyn is a Pediatric Allergist at the BC Children's Hospital allergy outreach clinic. Her areas of interest are food allergy and asthma, as well as health care in underserved populations.
Dr. Jennifer Y. Tong, MD
Dr. Jennifer Y. Tong, MD, CCFP, FCFP
Thriving Families Program Physician
Dr. Jennifer Y. Tong is a family physician with enhanced skills training in mental health and a special interest in serving families with allergies. She brings her training in CBT and DBT to her work in the Thriving Families Program.
Research & Nursing Team
Jennifer Fortkamp
Jennifer Fortkamp
FAIT Research Coordinator
Jenni joined the Allergy Team under the leadership of Dr. Edmond Chan in 2019, after 11 years at UBC Student Health Service. She loves working with the allergy kids and their families.
Kelly Morrison, RN, BScN
Kelly Morrison, RN, BScN
Clinical Trials Research Nurse
Kelly joined Dr. Chan's team in the Allergy Clinic at BC Children's Hospital in 2016, after more than 20 years across the hospital including Emergency.
Tanner Allen, RN, BScN
Tanner Allen, RN, BScN
Clinical Trials Research Nurse
Ravinder Dhaliwal, RN, BScN
Ravinder Dhaliwal, RN, BScN
FAIT Nurse
Registered Pediatric Nurse and "Food Allergy Mom." Ravinder has nearly 20 years of nursing experience, and her most valuable experience comes from her own daughter — an OIT graduate of this very program.
Lisa Gaudet, RN, BScN
Lisa Gaudet, RN, BScN
FAIT Nurse
Lisa began her nursing career in 2009 in general and vascular surgery before transitioning into critical care. With a young family of her own, she understands the importance of a positive experience for kids managing allergies.
Christina Service, RN, BScN
Christina Service, RN, BScN
FAIT Nurse
Christina spent a large portion of her nursing career in trauma orthopedics at Royal Columbian Hospital. Raising four girls of her own, she is no stranger to meticulous label checking and carrying an epi-pen.
Cassi Sauer
Cassi Sauer
Clinical Trials Research Coordinator
Deborah Estevam
Deborah Estevam
Clinical Trials Research Assistant
Paul Kim
Paul Kim
Research Assistant
Recognition

Awards

  • Jerry Dolovich Award (2017) — CSACI's highest distinction, awarded to Dr. Edmond Chan for excellence in clinical work, teaching and research
  • F. Estelle R. Simons Award (2020) — CSACI, for research, awarded to Dr. Chan
  • The Donald Stark Award for Excellence in Leadership (2022) — Canadian Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Foundation, awarded to Dr. Chan
  • Robyn Allen Leadership Award (2019) — awarded to Dr. Chan
The Network

Connected to the FAIT Program, growing across Canada.

Canadian FAIT Research is connected to the FAIT Program at UBC and BC Children's Hospital. The CAN-FAIT Registry alone includes members representing most Canadian provinces, plus international collaborators in Hong Kong, Denmark, and the United Arab Emirates.

UBC Division of Allergy, Department of Pediatrics BC Children's Hospital FAIT Program BC Children's Hospital Research Institute
Contact

Get in touch

General questions, media, or research collaboration inquiries are welcome.

Send a Message →

Edmond Chan Lab

950 W 28th Ave
Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4

604-786-3204
[email protected]