Cezmi Akdis is a medical researcher in the field of immunology. He is director of the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) in Davos, Switzerland and the editor in chief of the journal Allergy.
He has been a professor in University of Zürich Medical Faculty since 2006, and one of the directors of the Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education in Davos, Switzerland.
Akdis received his medical degree from Uludag University Medical Faculty, Bursa, Turkey in 1985. He has specialized in infectious disease and clinical microbiology 1991 and in immunology at Uludag University in 1994, and further was named a Venia Legendi (Habilitation) at the University of Zürich 2002.
Cezmi Akdis began his medical career as a General Practitioner at Gölhisar Health Center, Turkey, in 1985.He completed a five-year residency in Infectious Diseases followed by two years of specialization in Immunology at UludaàUniversity, Bursa, Turkey, in 1987. In 1993, he was appointed assistant professor at UludaàUniversity, Bursa. Between 1993 and 1994, he worked as a research fellow at Ciba-Geigy Ltd., Allergy Research, Basel, Switzerland. From 1994, he joined the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) in Davos, Switzerland, first as a Research Fellow and from 1998 as Group Leader. He received his âÂÂVenia Legendiâ (Habilitation) from the University of Zurich Medical Faculty in 2002. In 2006, he was appointed Extraordinarius Professor at the University of Zurich Medical Faculty, with promotion rights in 2008 from the Science Faculty. He became Ordinarius Professor at the University of Zurich Medical Faculty in 2013.
Akdis has published more than 750 peer-reviewed articles in the fields of allergy and immunology. His current h-index is 169. He has also been recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate (formerly Thomson Reuters), reflecting his significant impact in the field of immunology.
In all below listed original first time reported major scientific achievements Dr. Akdis was the first or senior author of the study.
Invention and development of a device for skin barrier detection: Early studies on epithelial barrier ended up with the development of a skin impedancemeter device called NaviSense from SciBase Sweden for allergic and inflammatory skin disease. First prototype was developed together with CSEM Landquart in 2013. Clinical validation studies are published by SIAF. Currently available for clinical usage, FDA certified, a new version that detects skin barrier in 1 second has been recently developed.
Development of the Epithelial Barrier Theory: This theory explains reasons for the development and increased prevalence of many chronic non-communicable diseases, such as allergic, autoimmune, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. There has been a steep rise in these diseases, reaching epidemic proportions and now affecting almost two billions of humans. Intact skin and mucosal barriers are crucial for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis as they protect host tissues from infections, environmental toxins, pollutants and allergens. A defective epithelial barrier has been demonstrated in allergic and autoimmune conditions such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, leakiness of the gut epithelium is also implicated in systemic autoimmune and metabolic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, and autoimmune hepatitis. Finally, distant inflammatory responses due to a âÂÂleaky gutâ and microbiome changes are suspected in AlzheimerâÂÂs disease, ParkinsonâÂÂs disease, chronic depression and autism spectrum disorders. These diseases are more common in industrialized countries and their prevalence continues to rise in developing countries in parallel to urbanization and industrialization. Akdis group has introduced the âÂÂepithelial barrier theoryâÂÂ, which proposes that the rise in epithelial barrier damaging agents linked to industrialization, urbanization and modern life underlies the rise in allergic, autoimmune and other chronic conditions and has an influence on microbes and other animals in the nature.
The barrier theory suggests a need for avoidance of the environmental cues, and warrants further studies on safe levels of exposure to potentially harmful substances, such as inhaled and ingested detergents, ingestion of processed foods containing emulsifiers, exposure to particulate matter, diesel exhaust, microplastics, and certain nanoparticles. As Paracelsus said in 1493, âÂÂsola dosis facit venenumâÂÂ, translating to all substances are poisons, everything has the potential to become toxic, it merely depends on the dose.
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