Research Topic: Disease intervention strategies
Detailed understanding of host-pathogen interactions is necessary to develop new interventions against problematic infections. Within this NCOH Research topic, a multidisciplinary team of microbiologists, immunologists, chemists and clinical microbiologists join forces to create a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions with the ultimate aim to develop innovative therapies against emerging pathogens.
Better insights in host-pathogen interactions will be obtained by: 1) determining how colonisation by bacteria shapes the adaptive immune response; 2) studying metagenomic and metabolomics analysis of the host microbiome to identify bacteria that synthesize antibiotics; (3) chemical derivatization of small molecules to produce new compounds with altered or enhanced bioactivity; (4) activity-based protein profiling to identify lead inhibitors; and (5) metabolomics approaches dedicated to identify the host-pathogen interaction.
Furthermore, to develop new therapies we will explore: 1) methods to improve the activity of our immune system via therapeutic antibodies or vaccines against antibiotic resistant bacteria and emerging zoonotic viruses; 2) explore the efficacy of bacteriophage therapy in vitro- and in vivo (animal models or cystic fibrosis patients).
Projects
Project #1 – NCOH-LSH Project
CANVAS - Broadly protective glycoconjugate vaccines targeting major animal and zoonotic Gram-positive pathogens
PhD student: to be appointed
Organisation: Utrecht University
Project #2a – NCOH-LSH Project
ACZI - Innovative antibody-based strategies to combat future emergence of zoonotic viral infections
Coronavirus spike cross-reactive antibodies: Identification, action mechanisms and protective efficacy
PhD student: Anna Mykytyn
Organisations: Utrecht University (coordinator), Erasmus MC
Project #2b – NCOH-LSH Project
ACZI - Innovative antibody-based strategies to combat future emergence of zoonotic viral infections
PhD student: to be appointed
Organisations: Utrecht University (coordinator), Erasmus MC
Project #2c – NCOH-LSH Project
ACZI - Innovative antibody-based strategies to combat future emergence of zoonotic viral infections
Orthohantavirus cross-reactive antibodies: identification, action mechanisms and protective efficacy
PhD student: Danny Noack
Organisations: Utrecht University (coordinator), Erasmus MC
ACZI - Innovative antibody-based strategies to combat future emergence of zoonotic viral infections
Improving the functional activity of monoclonal antibodies against Gram-negative bacteria
BRICK study - Bacteriophage Research on Immune response, Clinical use and Knowledge on virome changes
Development of pan-immunoselective proteasome inhibitors
Morphological plasticity of bacteria to stressful conditions
Screening, optimising and target profiling of novel antibiotics
Design of Next-Generation Antibiotics with cutting-edge NMR studies
In-host adaptation in chronic fungal airway infections and development of new antifungals
Nanobody-based targeted therapy to combat zoonotic viral infections
In vitro and in vivo analyses and modulation of the chicken gut microbiome to combat AMR