Hilal Demir

Hilal Demir, PhD, is a researcher at the Medical University of Vienna affiliated with the Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology and the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research. His work focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of allergen cross-reactivity and immunotherapy efficacy.

Demir's research investigates IgE and IgG antibody dynamics in birch pollen-related apple allergy, revealing that structural identity between allergens (e.g., Bet v 1 and Mal d 1) determines cross-protective antibody responses. His studies highlight limitations in current immunotherapy approaches for food allergies linked to pollen sensitization.

While his recent 2024 publication in Allergy demonstrates that allergen structural identity >80% is required for cross-protection, ongoing work explores hypoallergenic apple cultivar identification and IgG subclass roles in allergy mitigation. He employs multidisciplinary in vitro and in vivo models to advance precision allergy treatments.