Jose Drabwell Research Grant Programme Winners

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The IPOPI Jose Drabwell Research Grant Programme is an initiative aimed at promoting scientific and clinical research in the field of primary immunodeficiencies and associated conditions.

The third grant call in 2026, supported by Grifols and Kedrion, ran from June to August, inviting applicants from around the world to seize the opportunity to fuel innovation in the field with patient-centred and knowledge-generating projects.

IPOPI is pleased to announce the winners of the IPOPI Jose Drabwell Research Grant Programme 2026. The winners will receive funding for 2 years to carry out the following projects:

 

  • Dr Narissara Suratannon

Affiliation: Center of Excellence for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand

Project Title: Establishing a Southeast Asian Gene Therapy Hub for Inborn Errors of Immunity Using RAG1-SCID as a Pioneering Program

📌 This project will develop a regional readiness and implementation roadmap for RAG1-SCID gene therapy in Southeast Asia, including technology transfer, training, and the establishment of a centralised treatment hub in Bangkok.

 

  • Dr Jolan Walter

Affiliation: University of South Florida, United States of America

Project Title: Serum biomarkers of immune dysregulation to assess disease state in monogenic combined immunodeficiencies: from research to patient education

🔬 This project will develop and validate blood-based immune biomarkers and a patient-centred risk score to predict disease deterioration in people with monogenic combined immunodeficiencies (G-CIDs), while improving patient understanding of biomarker monitoring and multiomics research.

 

  • Dr Katie Townsend

Affiliation: University College London, United Kingdom

Project Title: Integrating B-cell functional assays to improve the diagnosis of primary Predominantly Antibody Deficiencies

🌍 This project will develop a standardised B-cell functional testing platform to improve diagnosis and interpretation of genetic variants in patients with predominantly antibody deficiencies, including those without a confirmed genetic diagnosis.

 

We wish the winners the best of luck and success on these projects and would like to thank everyone who applied.

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New Frontiers article on PID care in Latin America and the Caribbean

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IPOPI and leading clinicians and researchers have published a new article providing a regional perspective on the situation for people living with primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Published on 24 September 2026 in Frontiers in Immunology, the article, “Appraisal of primary immunodeficiencies in Latin America and the Caribbean using the IPOPI PID Life Index – where are we now?”, brings together IPOPI expertise and the perspectives of key opinion leaders working in the field of primary immunodeficiencies.

Taking a closer look at PID care across the region

The publication uses data from the IPOPI PID Life Index, an interactive tool developed to assess the implementation of the PID Principles of Care around the world.

For this regional analysis, the authors examined the situation across 13 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, looking at six fundamental areas of PID care: diagnosis, treatment availability, universal health coverage, specialised centres, national patient organisations and registries.

The article provides an important overview of the progress that has been made while also examining the differences that continue to exist between countries in access to diagnosis, treatments and specialised care. The authors highlight the importance of sustained collaboration between healthcare professionals, patient organisations and other stakeholders to continue strengthening the environment for people living with PIDs.

From regional dialogue to scientific publication

The publication also builds on discussions held during the IPOPI Latin American Regional Meeting in Buenos Aires in October 2025, where patient representatives shared their national experiences, identified common priorities and discussed actions needed to improve access to diagnosis and care.

These discussions, combined with information collected through the PID Life Index, helped shape this first regional assessment of the implementation of the PID Principles of Care in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For IPOPI, bringing patient perspectives together with clinical and scientific expertise is essential to building a clearer picture of the realities faced by people living with PIDs and supporting evidence-based improvements in care.

Strengthening knowledge through collaboration

This article was developed in close collaboration with Prof Adli Ali, Prof Antonio Condino-Neto, Dr Nizar Mahlaoui, Dr Lorena Regairaz, Dr Silvia Sánchez-Ramón, Dr Carolina Prando and Prof Cecilia Poli.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our collaborators for their swift, constructive and highly productive collaboration, which made this work possible.

Its publication represents another important step in IPOPI’s work to strengthen knowledge of the global PID healthcare environment and to support collaboration between the patient and medical communities.

Read the full open-access article in Frontiers in Immunology:
Appraisal of primary immunodeficiencies in Latin America and the Caribbean using the IPOPI PID Life Index – where are we now?

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IPOPI’s 2025 Review of Activities and Achievements

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Looking back at a year of progress, collaboration and growth, the Review of Activities and Achievements 2025 brings together some of the key moments that shaped IPOPI’s work and the global PID community.

Among the key moments of the year were the success of IPIC2025 in Prague, which brought together more than 900 participants, regional patient meetings in Africa and Latin America, continued advocacy around newborn screening and access to immunoglobulin therapies, and the expansion of IPOPI’s educational and research activities.

The year also brought new initiatives and important developments across different areas of IPOPI’s work, creating new ways to share knowledge, amplify patient voices and support the global PID community.

Discover these and many more highlights in the full report.

Explore the annual review

 

 

 

 

 

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Shaping EU Policy for PIDs & SIDs

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