Public Health Alert · Independent Not-for-Profit
Alpha-gal syndrome is a tick-borne allergy that can turn red meat, dairy — even some medicines — into a life-threatening emergency. Most people never hear of it until it strikes. We fund the research to stop it.
How it happens
In the U.S., a lone star tick bite can quietly sensitize your immune system to alpha-gal — a sugar found in mammals.
Weeks later, red meat, dairy and gelatin — foods you have eaten your whole life — can suddenly trigger a reaction.
Reactions are often delayed 3–6 hours, so the cause is missed — and they can escalate to life-threatening anaphylaxis.
By the numbers
Alpha-gal syndrome is spreading fast, hard to diagnose, and has no cure. Here is what the data shows.
Americans may already be affected — and the true number could be far higher.
of diagnosed patients suffer anaphylaxis — a reaction that can be fatal.
exists today. Strict avoidance is currently the only defense.
suspected cases flagged since 2010 — and climbing every single year.
Sources: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alpha-Gal Syndrome & MMWR (2023). Anaphylaxis rate per published clinical studies.
Our Mission
To accelerate the science — and support the people — working to end alpha-gal syndrome. We are an independent not-for-profit with no commercial stake in any treatment. Every dollar advances research and serves patients.
Know the Danger
A single tick bite can rewire your immune system to attack a sugar molecule found in red meat, dairy, gelatin — and even some medications and medical devices. Reactions can strike hours later, so the cause is almost impossible to trace. Most clinicians still know little about it, there is no approved cure, and the only defense today is strict avoidance. That is exactly why we fund the research to change it.
If you suspect alpha-gal syndrome, talk to a qualified healthcare provider. This information is educational and is not medical advice.
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Alpha-Gal Syndrome. cdc.gov/alpha-gal-syndrome.
Our Approach
Advancing the science, and standing beside the people living with AGS today.
We direct funding toward the most promising scientific work in alpha-gal syndrome — supporting investigators, helping move early ideas toward clinical study, and prioritizing research with a clear path to improving patients’ lives. Our focus is on better diagnostics, better treatments, and the long-term goal of a cure.
Science takes time. People need help now. We develop clear, trustworthy resources to help patients and their families understand the condition, navigate daily life, and advocate for better care — and we work to raise awareness among the clinicians who diagnose and treat them.
We do not work alone. We build relationships with researchers, clinicians, and established organizations in the alpha-gal community, because progress against a complex disease depends on many hands pulling in the same direction.
Why We Exist
A condition affecting hundreds of thousands of people should not be overlooked, under-researched, and under-funded. We are not a company — we sell nothing and profit from nothing. As a not-for-profit, we are accountable to our mission and the community we serve, not to shareholders.
Our Medical Leadership
Our work is guided by qualified medical and scientific advisors. This section is populated with verified team members only.
Additional advisors and team members will be added as documented and authorized.
Our Partners & Supporters
Progress against alpha-gal syndrome is a shared effort. We are grateful to work alongside respected institutions and organizations in the medical and alpha-gal communities. Logos and names appear only with written authorization.
Letters of support available upon request.
Get Involved
Your donation funds research and patient resources directly. Tax-deductibility details will be confirmed once 501(c)(3) status is granted.
If you are a researcher, clinician, or organization working on alpha-gal syndrome, we would welcome a conversation.
Awareness saves lives. Help others recognize the signs of alpha-gal syndrome and find their way to answers sooner.
Join Us
Alpha-gal syndrome takes something quietly profound from the people it touches: the simple confidence that the next bite is safe. We believe that can change — not through hope alone, but through rigorous science, honest collaboration, and a community that refuses to look away.
Donate to the ResearchSecure donation checkout coming soon.
