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Radboud University Medical Center is excited to announce that Vinod Kumar from the department of Internal Medicine is part of an international consortium awarded a grant from the “la Caixa” Foundation for the research project, "A High-Resolution Functional Genomics Approach to Inform Precision Medicine for Fungal Disease". This innovative project, led by Agostinho Carvalho from Portugal, will focus on revolutionizing the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), a life-threatening fungal infection.
The consortium, which also includes Radboudumc, has received significant funding as part of the CaixaResearch Call for Health Research 2024. This grant, totaling up to 1 million euros, will enable the team to use cutting-edge genomic technologies to explore how genetic variation impacts antifungal immunity, with the aim of developing personalized medicine strategies for patients with IPA.
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis remains a leading cause of mortality in immunocompromised individuals, despite advances in medical care. Although the infection's diagnosis and treatment are difficult, its incidence has been rising, particularly in vulnerable populations. The risk of infection varies significantly between patients, even under similar clinical conditions and environmental exposure. While several studies have suggested that genetic factors play a role in susceptibility to IPA, little is known about the precise genetic and biological mechanisms that govern this variation.
The FUNPATH project aims to address this critical gap. By employing a high-resolution functional genomics approach, the team will identify how genetic variation influences the antifungal response of human macrophages and contributes to susceptibility to IPA. The research will utilize advanced technologies such as genome-wide genotyping, functional immunology, proteomics, metabolomics, genome editing, and state-of-the-art model systems to explore the molecular mechanisms that underpin antifungal immunity.
Vinod Kumar: “The FUNPATH project represents a unique opportunity to better understand the genetic and immune factors that influence fungal disease susceptibility. This project has the potential to significantly impact the diagnosis and treatment of IPA and will contribute to the future of precision medicine.”
The FUNPATH project is one of the 29 biomedical research projects selected in the CaixaResearch Call for Health Research 2024, which received 580 proposals. These projects aim to address critical health challenges in infectious diseases, oncology, cardiovascular diseases, and more. The consortium’s work will play a key role in developing more effective, personalized treatments for IPA, with potential applications for other respiratory diseases.
The research is also expected to yield valuable insights into the molecular processes that drive interindividual variability in immune responses, with a broader impact on precision medicine approaches for other fungal diseases. With global collaboration at its core, the FUNPATH project holds promise for advancing the science of fungal infections and improving patient outcomes.
