A/Prof Sheryl Van Nunen

Dr. Sheryl van Nunen is a well-established clinician and medical educator, with over 38 years of experience in allergy. She served as the Head of the Department of Allergy at Royal North Shore Hospital for more than 26 years and as a Senior Staff Specialist for over three decades. Currently, she is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Sydney's Northern Clinical School and a consultant physician in allergic diseases in Chatswood. She also serves as a Visiting Medical Officer at Northern Beaches and North Shore Private Hospitals.

Dr. van Nunen is known for her groundbreaking research on mammalian meat anaphylaxis and its correlation with prior tick bites, which she first identified in 2007. She has received over 175 publications to her credit, with 68% as the primary author, and 14 of these being published in the last two years. As a Principal Investigator in clinical trials, she has contributed to over 70% of new therapies introduced to Australia for allergic diseases.

Dr. van Nunen's work on tick bite prevention and management has been recognized by the Australian Government of Health as world-leading advice. She has also collaborated with pharma to develop tick-specific therapy, both in Australia and internationally. Additionally, her contributions to research have helped to fund and foster tick bite prevention and management advice.

Besides her research work, Dr. van Nunen has contributed her time and expertise to the National Asthma Council and held several roles in the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA).

Her research interests include the implications of mammalian meat allergy/anaphylaxis following previous tick bites, such as the increased risk of atheroma and more severe atheroma, tick-induced anaphylaxis, and pharmacogenetic risk factors in severe cutaneous drug reactions among the Vietnamese people. Overall, Dr. van Nunen's work has had a significant impact on the field of allergy research and management.