Sepsis and Infection
Sepsis is a life-threatening systemic infection with a high mortality of more than 50 % which affects people of all ages. In spite of the immense progress in modern clinical treatment and the exploration of the molecular biological basics, sepsis still presents a huge challenge for physicians and the health system. Clinical sepsis research aims to target lethality and morbidity as well as to improve prevention and after-care. To expand the knowledge of molecular mechanisms and of organ failure, experimental sepsis research combines clinical aspects with questions in fundamental research.
Research groups at JUH, or alliances JUH scientists are involved in:
DFG projects
- The Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse investigates the dynamic balances of microbial communities from the molecular level to complex ecosystems. Building on this knowledge, new technologies are being developed that can specifically maintain and restore these balances.
- FungiNet - Integrated Research on human-pathogenic fungi - Würzburg/JenaTwo subprojects of the SFB/TR are located at the UKJ.
- The PolyTarget Collaborative Research Center develops polymer-based, nanoparticulate carrier materials for the targeted delivery of pharmaceutical agents. The focus is on systems suitable for the treatment of diseases and syndromes whose morbidity is primarily characterized by an inflammatory response.
- The randomized trial ARISS: Randomized Controlled Multicenter Trial of Albumin Replacement Therapy in Septic Shock compares the administration of albumin as sepsis therapy with volume replacement therapy without the protein. It is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and involves 50 study centers.
- Researchers from physics, chemistry, biology, clinical medicine, and microbiology at the University of Jena and the University Hospital (UKJ) are involved in the Research Training Group 2723 MMM on Materials-Microbial Microenvironments. They aim to develop a tailored platform of antimicrobial biomaterials to better prevent biomaterial-associated infections, such as those that can occur with bone implants.
Federally funded projects
- BioSig-PEM:
The research consortium in Jena, Kiel, Berlin, and Munich is investigating severe fatigue (ME/CFS), a long-term consequence of a viral infection. The researchers aim to better understand why those affected experience a significant worsening of symptoms after exposure to stress, thus contributing to the development of new, individually tailored diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the consortium with €2.5 million. -
REMIT - Remote Monitoring and Intervention for Optimized Care of Post- and Long-COVID Syndrome
A research consortium led by Jena University Hospital is developing a mobile application that records the symptoms and well-being of post-COVID patients. The app will transmit this data to treating practices and clinics, where it will support diagnostics and treatment and provide personalized feedback.
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Smart Medical Information Technology for Healthcare (SMITH)
The Medical Informatics Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research supports the university medical centers in Leipzig, Aachen, Jena, Hamburg, Bonn, Essen, and Halle. Its goal is to develop an innovative structure for cross-institutional networking and the exchange of research and healthcare data between the centers and beyond the consortium within the SMITH network.
- Epirubicin for the Treatment of Sepsis and Septic Shock, Phase I.
This randomized, controlled, multicenter trial will evaluate the safety of low-dose epirubicin in patients with sepsis and septic shock. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics will also be modeled to provide preliminary efficacy data for a dose-response relationship. - Research Campus Infectognostics
The aim of this public-private partnership with more than 30 partners from science, medicine and industry is to research and develop technical solutions for the highly efficient and rapid on-site detection of infections and to identify novel markers for pathogen diagnostics. - The Leibniz Center for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI) in Jena researches light-based technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. The federally funded center is supported by four Jena-based partners: the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the University Hospital Jena, and the Leibniz IPHT and Leibniz HKI institutes.
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SARSCoV2DX - Early and rapid methods for diagnosis and treatment of viral infections
The goal of the collaboration between Jena University Hospital, the Jena Leibniz Institutes for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology and for Photonic Technologies, and Friedrich Schiller University Jena is to accelerate the diagnosis of viral respiratory infections. The partners aim to develop methods and technologies based on COVID-19 that can detect viral outbreaks earlier and support their containment.
- Jena University Hospital is part of the Network University Medicine (NUM) , an interdisciplinary research network of university medicine institutions in Germany. Researchers at the Jena University Hospital are involved in eight NUM research projects .
- HerpMV Clinical Trial - Influence of Aciclovir Therapy on Survival of Ventilated Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Infection and Detection of Herpes Simplex Viruses in Bronchoalveolar Lavage
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The ATHANA alliance is funded by the "RUBin – Regional Entrepreneurial Alliances for Innovation" program. It develops innovative therapeutic approaches for the treatment of infectious diseases (antifungal therapeutic approaches through nanoparticle-based drug targeting).
EU projects
- The ImSAVAR consortium is developing innovative model systems for the evaluation of immunomodulatory therapeutics. The Jena subproject aims to develop test systems that mimic the function and interaction of various human organs. These tests are intended to facilitate the investigation of new active substances that interfere with immune processes.
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In the APPEAL consortium, Jena University Hospital is building a European research platform with 12 partners from six countries. With EU funding, a pipeline for the development of antiviral agents will be established within five years to prepare for future pandemics.
G-BA Consortia
- The WATCH project is developing a new form of care for post-COVID patients, particularly in rural areas, that will shorten recovery times and thus the duration of incapacity for work. This is based on a structured collaboration between general practitioners, specialists, and telemedicine-supported modular treatment provided by the project team.
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The aim of AVENIR is to improve sepsis care in Germany by researching care pathways and the experiences of those affected.
Thuringian projects
- The Thuringian Innovation Center for Medical Technology Solutions, ThIMEDOP, combines our region's technological strengths in optics and photonics with the UKJ's clinical focus on sepsis research and aging research through the development of technology-, photonic-optical- and clinical-experimental-oriented methods and systems for early detection, diagnosis, therapy and rehabilitation.
- The SARS-rapid research group focuses on the interactions between the virus and the host cell and the resulting cellular responses. These cellular responses form the basis for the development of state-of-the-art optical-photonic detection methods.
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The GUARDIAN consortium is researching a nanoparticle-based concept for antibiotic therapy against bacterial biofilms in heart valve inflammation.