Clinical studies

Leader: Nina Khanna

Co-leader: Dirk Bumann 

Researchers: Minia Antelo Varela, Silvio Brugger, Myrta Brunner, Petra Chiquet, Beatrice Claudi, Christoph Dehio, Knut Drescher, Nadine Doyle, Adrian Egli, Joana Damaris Erdmann, Alejandro Gomez, Daniel Grupel, Ute Heisner, Stefanie Heller, Fanny Linger Hengy, Sanne Hertegonne, Tina Juune, Steffi Klimke, Richard Kuehl, Srikanth Mairpady Shambat, Mandy Mathys, Jacob Moran-Gilad, Katharina Rentsch, Tim Roloff, Desiree May Schumann, Daiana Stolz, Rosemarie Suetterlin, Sarah Tschudin Sutter, Vishwachi Tripathi, Katharine Ullrich, Annelies Zinkernagel, Sara Zurbruegg

WP-CLN determines activities of key human pathogens in the infected human patient. Such data have been largely missing but they are crucial for targeting pathogens with novel control strategies under physiologically relevant conditions. WP-CLN achieves this goal by obtaining patient samples that are freshly frozen directly at the bedside, and analysis of these samples using ultrasensitive mass spectrometry and other cutting-edge analytical methods. This includes quantifying pathogen protein as well as metabolites, antimicrobials, and host macromolecules that shape the in-vivo microenvironments. The results provide informative benchmarks for evaluating and optimizing patient-mimicking in-vitro models (work within WP-MOD). In addition, the data will reveal commonalities and variation in properties of diverse pathogen strains in human host tissues in presence of various comorbidities. Initial data demonstrate that both goals are attainable with recently established clinical studies and analytical workflows. 

The three main objectives are:

• Objective 1: To extend ongoing clinical studies for obtaining freshly frozen patient samples
• Objective 2: To determine human components and pathogen properties in these samples
• Objective 3: To derive guidance and benchmarks for development of patient-like in-vitro models