University Medical Center Utrecht - The Netherlands

Research in Infection & Immunity at UMC Utrecht is translational and focused on common pathogenic mechanisms relevant for infection and immunity diseases on dynamics of pathogen transmission. Care is multidisciplinary and includes standardized clinical/laboratory monitoring, collection of biological samples to create clinical, laboratory and immunology/microbiology databases and a biobank.

UMC Utrecht Mission and Goals

The program in Infection and Immunity at UMC Utrecht is focused on innovative solutions for patient needs. Direct patient care is integrated with the scientific research teams, and a relentless multidisciplinary approach guarantees patients benefit from the latest available expertise and innovative technological solutions.

UMC Utrecht: Infection & Immunity Website

UMC Utrecht Faculty Investigators

The Infection and Immunity Program comprises 38 research groups organized in scientific themes. Studies of the dynamics of infectious disease transmission seek to optimize prevention efforts in hospital and community settings. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research focuses on the evolution and transmission of AMR bacteria, the human microbiota as a reservoir for AMR genes, and personalized approaches to optimize antibiotic therapy. A major effort is placed on alternatives to antibiotics, by deciphering bacterial immune evasion, studying interactions of bacteria with the human complement system, and understanding the glycobiology of host-pathogen interactions.

CHARM Collaboration Contact: Nina van Sorge, PharmD, PhD (Associate Professor and Group Leader)

CHARM ↔ UMC-Utrecht Collaborations

CHARM and UMC-Utrecht investigators are wiring together to elucidate the evolution of antibiotic resistance and the effects of the microbiota on such processes, improving antibiotic strategies while minimizing selection of antibiotic resistance. Basic studies focused on MRSA and streptococcal pathogens aim to understand the molecular mechanisms by which bacteria cause disease in certain hosts and exploiting this molecular information to design novel drugs and vaccine approaches to prevent and treat bacterial infections.

Complement and MDR Gram-Negative Rods

UMC Utrecht researchers discovered that complement membrane attack complex (MAC)-induced outer membrane damage sensitizes Gram-negative bacteria to otherwise ineffective, Gram-positive-specific, antimicrobials. For example, human blood can sensitize a multidrug-resistant strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae strain to vancomycin, a drug traditionally discounted as useful in this context.