Type Of Business:
Group practice
Marketing Area:
South Central Texas
Expertise:
Allergies; Asthma; Immunology and adverse reactions to foods
Major Product/SVS:
Specialized medical care and clinical research
Hobbies/Sports:
Arts; Music; Working out; Fitness
Education Degrees:
Pediatrics Fellowship, University of Texas Medical Branch (1956-1968); Immunopathology/Allergy Fellowship, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, CA (1962-1965); MD, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston (1953)
Affiliations Awards:
Bexar County Medical Society; Texas Association of Allergy and Immunology; American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Industry:
Allergy & Immunology
State/Country of Origin:
TX/USA
Children's Names:
Three daughters; One son
Date of Distinction:
9/2/2011
Work History:
Doctor of Medicine, Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Associates of South Texas (1998-Present); Pursuing Professor Status, Chief of Allergy and Immunology in Pediatrics and the Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX (1969-1998); Associate Professor, Chief of Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunology (1965-1969); Assistant Professor of
Pediatrics, University of Arkansas Medical Center, Little Rock (1958-1962)
Career Achievements:
Research, Immunopathology of Immune Complexes; International Speaker to Educate Physicians around the World in Allergy and Immunology
What do you feel separates you from the rest of the professionals in your industry?:
Dr. Knicker is still asked by pharmaceutical companies to teach other physicians and is a world authority on adverse reactions to foods. In addition, although he is now in his early 80's and about a half decade away from retirement, he has been steadily moving more and more into a spiritual arena in which science and consciousness are combined into the realization that we are all connected and are all one. His greatest desire now is to write a series of books in the spiritual arena; the first of which would cover the teachings of Jesus and how they relate to us today and then later do the same thing with the teachings Buddha.
What has been the most outstanding thing you have done thus far in your career?:
Dr. Knicker considers being a teacher that enlightens all other physicians in the specialty of allergy, asthma
and immunology to be his greatest career achievement. Because of his unique immunopathology/allergy training, he was one of three allergists/immunologists in America to repeatedly update and teach practicing allergists so that
they could pass the new allergy and immunology board exams, first appearing in 1974. During the late 1970's and 1980's, he was asked to speak at medical/scientific meetings all over the world, helping to enhance the quality of allergy and immunology delivered medical practice in many
countries.
Expanded Biography:
After graduation from University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston as Valedictorian, he interned at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan from 1953 to 1954. From 1954 to 1956, he was in the U.S. Air Force as a general physician. He served remote Air Force stations up and down Alaska and the upper Pacific Ocean from 1954 to 1956. After pediatric residency at University of Texas Medical Branch in 1956 to 1958, he began his academic career in the Dept. of Pediatrics University of Arkansas Medical Center, Little Rock, 1958 to 1962. A growing interest in Immunology led to an immunopathology/allergy fellowship at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California, from 1962 to 1965. He returned to the University of Arkansas Medical Center in 1965 to 1969 as director of the Allergy and Immunology Division and associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics. In 1969, he was recruited to the new University of Texas Health Science Center where he directed the Allergy, Immunology Division in the Department of Pediatrics and later the Department of Medicine as well. While there, he trained many Allergy, Asthma and Immunology fellows who are now in practice throughout the United States. Because of his background, he was asked by many Allergy, Immunology national organizations to teach and participate in meetings all over the world, between the early 1970's to the present time. In the early 1970's, he was one of three selected allergists who educated most of the allergists in the
United States to help pass the new board exam in Allergy and Immunology that appeared in
1974.
Because of his expertise in adverse reactions to foods, he was a guest on the Oprah show in 1996 when he shared with the world that half the patients with ADD/ADHD are made worse by certain foods and adverse chemicals and that they would do better on appropriate elimination
diets.
It should be noted that he was active in the two major allergy and immunology organizations, the Academy and the College. In the latter, he was an annual speaker at the literature review course for over 20 years, retiring a few years ago to provide more time to write books in the
spiritual arena.
In the past 13 years, he has been an active clinician in the Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Associates of South Texas, a multiple group practice, likely retiring in the near future.
Charity:
Clinical Vice President, Clinical and Research Committee Chairperson, Autism Treatment Center, Inc., Dallas and San Antonio, TX
Number Of Years In Profession:
58
Number Of Years In Current Position:
13
What Does He/She Attribute Success To:
He attributes his success partly to his broad education; first becoming a physician, then a pediatrician, and then finally a specialist in allergy, asthma and immunology. His teaching talents led to an international reputation with teaching all over the world from the 1970's into the 1990's, leading to better care of patients in many areas.
Why did you become involved in your profession or industry?:
He became involved in his profession because by the 6th grade, he knew he wanted to become a physician. Medicine began appealing him more and more, and that interest led him to pursue pre-medical studies in college.
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Serving as an asthma, allergy and immunology specialist; Seeing new patients; Following up with other patients; Participating in general clinical research; Speaking to other doctors for pharmaceutical organizations and teaching other physicians; Providing advisory services for the food
committees of the Academy and the College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Education Certifications:
American Board of Allergy and Immunology (1974); American Board of Pediatrics (1958)
Awards/Honors:
America's Top Physicians in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (2010); Chancellor's Council, University of Texas System (1994); 25 Years of Appreciation for Employment and Loyal Dedicated Service, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX (1994); Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Science, American Men and Women of Science (1989); Board of Trustees, Unicorn Centers, Inc. (1985-1991); Board President, Unicorn Centers, Inc. (1985-1987); Fellow in Society (1987); Bela Schick Memorial Lecturer (1984); Member of the Board of Regents, American College of Allergy and Immunology (1984); Lecturer, Annual Literature Review (15 Years); Fellow, Distinguished (1983); Distinguished Alumnus Award, Texas Lutheran College (1980)
Where Will You Be In 5 Years:
In five years, Dr. Kniker hopes to teach other doctors about asthma and food problems.