Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research

Allergy and Immunology Researchsiaf.uzh.ch

The Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) is a Davos-based foundation research institute affiliated with the University of Zurich that conducts basic and translational research in allergy, asthma, and immunology across seven research groups, serving patients, academic collaborators, and PhD students through publications, diagnostic services, and the World Immune Regulation Meeting conference.

Company typePrivate
Founded1988
HeadquartersDavos Wolfgang, Switzerland
Headcount—
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

What Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research does

The Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), founded in 1988 and based at the Davos Medical Campus in Switzerland, is a foundation department within Swiss Research Institutes for High Altitude Climate and Medicine Davos (SFI) and an affiliated institute of the University of Zurich. It conducts basic and translational research in immunology, allergy, and asthma across seven research groups (Immunology, B Cell Immunology, Immune Metabolism, Immune Regulation, Molecular Allergology, Vaccine Development, and Precision Proteomics Center), employing approximately 41-50 staff including biologists, biochemists, and physicians. The institute's research output includes more than 1,000 peer-reviewed publications and 40,000+ citations, with an average of over 44 citations per publication ranking it among the world's leading clinical research institutes; it has pioneered the epithelial barrier hypothesis linking environmental exposures to allergic, autoimmune, neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases.

SIAF's technology stack is built on molecular, cellular, and proteomic methods: 15+ years of gene-array and RNA-sequencing transcriptomics, next-generation omics (proteomics, peptidomics, immunopeptidomics), and single-cell transcriptomic/proteomic/metabolomic/lipidomic methods. It additionally maintains a Modular Antigen Translocation vaccination platform validated in clinical cat-allergy studies. Commercial outputs are limited: SIAF operates diagnostic laboratory services (BAL-Lymph-Analysis, Lymphocyte-Analysis/Immunstatus, Steroidresistance-Test) for Swiss clinical partners, hosts the biennial World Immune Regulation Meeting (WIRM) conference, runs a PhD program with the Life Science Zurich Graduate School, and has produced two spin-offs — DAVOS Diagnostics and Alimentary Health Pharma Davos.

As a foundation-based research institute, SIAF does not commercialize products. Funding flows from research grants (EU Framework Programmes, Swiss National Science Foundation) and institutional partnerships, supplemented by fee income from diagnostic services and conference activities. There is no external private-equity or venture-capital ownership. The institute is directed by Prof. Dr. Cezmi A. Akdis (since 2006) and serves a stakeholder mix that includes allergy and asthma patients (the ultimate end-beneficiaries), academic and clinical research collaborators, PhD students, and the broader allergology community reached through peer-reviewed publications, international conferences (WIRM, EAACI Summer Symposium), and media appearances.

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research
Legal name: Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research
Website: https://siaf.uzh.ch
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1988
Operating status: Operating
Short description: The Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) is a Davos-based foundation research institute affiliated with the University of Zurich that conducts basic and translational research in allergy, asthma, and immunology across seven research groups, serving patients, academic collaborators, and PhD students through publications, diagnostic services, and the World Immune Regulation Meeting conference.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research industry classification

Industry

Product category: Allergy and Immunology Research
NAICS: Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Medical Laboratories (621511), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)
SIC: Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)
akta.pro industry: PRIMARYHLAKAAAL
Allergy & Immunology Diagnostic Testing Centers (Skin/Challenge/PFT)
Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Allergy & Immunology
SECONDARYHLAKAAAC
Asthma & Airway Disease Specialty Care
Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Allergy & Immunology
SECONDARYHLAAAEAI
Allergy Immunotherapy Biologics (allergen extracts, desensitization)
Healthcare & Life Sciences/Biotechnology & Biologics/Vaccines & Immunization Biologics
SECONDARYHLAAALAK
Autoimmune & Allergy Diagnostics
Healthcare & Life Sciences/Biotechnology & Biologics/Diagnostics (Biotech-related)

Keywords

Translational biomedical research
Allergology research institute
Allergy and asthma research
Immunology research services
Diagnostic laboratory services

Where Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Davos Wolfgang
HQ country: Switzerland
HQ region: Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Research Funding and Grants: As a foundation associated with University of Zürich, SIAF operates primarily through research grants from funding bodies including EU Framework Programmes (7th Framework), Swiss National Science Foundation, and institutional partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research product offering

Product offering

Core offering

SIAF conducts applied and basic research in allergies, asthma, and immunology, with emphasis on epithelial barrier dysfunction, immune regulation, allergen-specific immunotherapy, and omics-based diagnostics. Its deliverables include peer-reviewed publications, clinical diagnostic services (BAL-Lymph-Analysis, Lymphocyte-Analysis, Steroidresistance-Test), the World Immune Regulation Meeting conference, and PhD/postgraduate education through the Life Science Zurich Graduate School.

Product overview

The Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) is a research institute, not a product company. Its offerings consist of diagnostic laboratory services (BAL-Lymph-Analysis, Lymphocyte-Analysis, Steroidresistance-Test), international conference organization (World Immune Regulation Meeting), and academic education programs (PhD and diploma projects through the Life Sciences Zurich Graduate School).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

BAL-Lymph-Analysis

Quantifiable outcome

More than 44 citations per publication in clinical research
+2 more outcomes

Companies that use Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research

Customer profile

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and spin-off.

University of ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIAF is an affiliated institute of the University of Zurich since 1995. The institute offers PhD programs through the Life Science Zurich Graduate School, a joint postgraduate education program of UZH and ETH Zurich.
Swiss Research Institutes for High Altitude Climate and Medicine Davos (SFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIAF is a department of the foundation Swiss Research Institutes for High Altitude Climate and Medicine Davos (SFI). The institute arose from the medical department of SFI in 1988.
Life Science Zurich Graduate SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIAF is a member of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School since 2008, offering PhD programs in collaboration with ETH Zurich.
GA²LEN (Global Allergy and Asthma European Network)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network focused on allergies and asthma research across Europe
MeDALL (Mechanisms of the Development of Allergy)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner7th Framework Programme project investigating mechanisms of allergy development
PreDictamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner7th Framework Programme project on post-infectious immune reprogramming and chronicity of respiratory allergic diseases
ALLFUNmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean project on fungi in the setting of inflammation, allergy and autoimmune diseases
CK-CARE AGmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristine Kühne - Center for Allergy Research and Education established in 2009, with research groups in Munich, Davos and Zürich
EAACI (European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organisation active in the field of allergic and immunologic diseases; SIAF organizes EAACI Summer Symposium
DAVOS DIAGNOSTICSspin-offTechnology or IntegrationSpin-off company developing new diagnostic instruments, supported by Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI) and Innovationsstiftung des Kantons Graubuenden
Alimentary Health Pharma Davosspin-offTechnology or IntegrationSpin-off from Alimentary Health Ltd. (Cork) developing new immune regulating drugs from probiotic bacteria, supported by TEAM EPIC
EuroNanoMedmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Network of Transnational Collaborative RTD Projects in Nanomedicine under 7th Framework Programme
TEAM EPICmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining Network for Development of Bacterial ExoPolysaccharides for Treatment of Inflammatory Conditions, supported by MARIE-CURIE

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology and Epigenetics: A German basic-research institute studying immune system development and epigenetic regulation. Like SIAF, it operates as a foundation-affiliated research center publishing high-impact immunology work, with a comparable headcount and translational focus on immune mechanisms.
La Jolla Institute for Immunology: A non-profit research institute focused on immunology and immune-related diseases, including allergy and asthma. Comparable in size, academic model, citation impact, and translational research orientation, with similar industry partnership structures.
CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences: A Vienna-based interdisciplinary research institute focused on molecular medicine and immunology. Similar in scale, academic foundation model, and translational research approach, with comparable use of omics technologies.
Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona): A Spanish research center studying fundamental questions in biomedical science including immunology. Comparable in foundation structure, publication intensity, and translational pipeline including spin-off creation.

Broad incumbents

Institut Pasteur: A large, globally recognized foundation dedicated to biomedical research including immunology, infectious disease, and allergy. While broader in scope than SIAF, it shares the foundation/governance model, publication intensity, and translational pipeline.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID): The US government's primary institute for allergy, immunology, and infectious disease research. A larger, government-funded counterpart to SIAF, conducting parallel basic and translational allergy research with global influence.
RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences: A Japanese government-affiliated institute conducting immunology and allergy research with similar multi-omics capabilities. Larger in scale, but shares the academic research model and omics methodology that underpin SIAF's work.
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research: A German government research center studying infectious disease and immunology. Comparable academic research model with broader scope, similar publication output and translational ambitions including spin-off creation.
Francis Crick Institute: A UK biomedical discovery institute focused on understanding health and disease, including immunology. Larger and broader in scope, but shares the foundation-style governance, high-impact publication record, and translational mission.

Emerging players

CK-CARE (Christine Kühne – Center for Allergy Research and Education): A Davos-based allergy research center established in 2009 with research groups in Munich, Davos and Zurich. A direct strategic partner of SIAF with overlapping allergy focus, comparable translational model, and shared leadership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries2 records

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research

What does Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research do?

Is Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research a public or private company?

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research founded?

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research was founded in 1988.

Where is Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research based?

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research is headquartered in Davos Wolfgang, Switzerland, in the Europe region.

How does Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research make money?

One revenue line is on record: research Funding and Grants.

Who are Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology and Epigenetics, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona). Broad incumbents are Institut Pasteur, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and Francis Crick Institute. CK-CARE (Christine Kühne – Center for Allergy Research and Education) is listed as an emerging player.

Does Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research have an API?

No public API is recorded for Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research.

What industry is Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research in?

Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research's product category is Allergy and Immunology Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKAAAL, Allergy & Immunology Diagnostic Testing Centers (Skin/Challenge/PFT), with a secondary code of HLAKAAAC, Asthma & Airway Disease Specialty Care. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8071.