Research group/lab | W. Unger

Pediatric Infection and Immunity

Pneumonia is the number one cause of mortality in children. We aim to improve the diagnostics to prevent inappropriate antibiotics use.

About our research group/lab

Our research

Background information

Pneumonia is the number one cause of death in children worldwide. Suspicion of pneumonia is therefore a major reason to prescribe antibiotics. The current non-invasive diagnostics tests have limited value, however: they neither discern bacteria from virus nor infection from carriage in a clinically relevant time frame. This is why clinicians have to rely on non-specific clinical symptoms to decide whether to prescribe antibiotics. The empirical therapy can be misdirected and result in inappropriate use of antibiotics, extra-pulmonary complications and further spread of pathogens in the community.

Overall aim

We work on finding new methods to diagnose pneumonia as well as targets for treatment of respiratory pathogens – Mycoplasma pneumoniae in particular. Thanks to Dr A.M.C. van Rossum (pediatrician and Head Pediatric Infectious Diseases) observations in patients can be investigated in the lab and – vice versa – findings from pre-clinical (animal) models can be validated in patients.

Research focus areas

Diagnostics: We are exploring the use of liquid biopsies for the diagnosis of pulmonary infections. We profile macrophages in the blood to distinguish the pneumonia-causing pathogen from harmless, non-invasive carried microorganisms. Additionally, we investigate the immunological control of infection and carriage.
Extra-pulmonary complications: Identifying and treating patients with infection-induced neurological diseases is complicated by lack of accurate diagnostics. We investigate humoral responses to M. pneumoniae structures to understand how autoimmunity develops and to find treatment targets.
Prevention strategies such as vaccination or anti-microbial peptides use can prevent pneumonia. We will test minimal-invasive application of vaccines and/or anti-microbial peptides using microneedle arrays and via mucosa.