Jonathan Hourihane

Professor Jonathan Hourihane is the Head of Paediatrics and Professor of Paediatrics at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, and a consultant paediatrician at Children’s Hospital Ireland at Temple Street. Previously, he held the position of Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at University College Cork (2005–2019). He graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 1987 and earned his MD from the University of Southampton in 1996 for research on peanut allergy. He holds fellowships from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

His research focuses on paediatric food allergy, anaphylaxis, and skin barrier dysfunction. He co-leads Ireland’s BASELINE birth cohort study and the INFANT Research Centre. Key areas include immunotherapy for peanut allergy, allergen labeling, and quality-of-life impacts on food-allergic children. Professor Hourihane is a founding member of the Irish Food Allergy Network (IFAN) and President of the Irish Association of Allergy and Immunology.

• Educations:
  • MB BCh BAO, Trinity College Dublin (1987)
  • MD, University of Southampton (1996)
• Research Interests:
  • Food allergy mechanisms and treatments
  • Immunotherapy development
  • Atopic dermatitis and skin barrier function
  • Public health strategies for allergy prevention

His recent work includes studies on epicutaneous immunotherapy, microbiome influences on allergy, and pandemic impacts on infant health. He has secured grants totaling € millions for studies like the FLORAL project examining pandemic-era microbiome changes and the Vitesse peanut allergy immunotherapy trial.

• Awards:
  • Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (FRCPCH)
  • Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (FRCPI)
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
• Grants & Projects:
  • FLORAL Study (SFI-funded, 2024–2028)
  • DBV712 Peanut Immunotherapy Trial (2024–2025)
  • Irish Food Allergy Network (IFAN) Support (2023–2026)

He collaborates internationally on allergy guidelines and leads advocacy initiatives through organizations like the Clemens von Pirquet Foundation and the National Children’s Research Centre.