Funding will help team of researchers led by UCC scientist to battle blood infection

A TEAM of researchers, led by a UCC scientist, has been granted a prestigious Wellcome Trust Discovery Award of €5.3 million.

The Irish and UK researchers including Prof Ruth Massey, based at the School of Microbiology in UCC and APC Microbiome Ireland, are investigating the leading global cause of fatal bloodstream infection.

Bloodstream infections are a major cause of illness and death worldwide with the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus being the leading global cause of these fatal infections.

The incidences of S. aureus bloodstream infection are increasing year-on-year, with antimicrobial-resistant strains such as S. aureus compounding this major clinical problem.

Prof. Massey explained: “We are locked in a battle in the dark against S. aureus bloodstream infections, where the bacteria currently have the upper hand, as we do not understand what is going on during the development of the infection.

“We believe that alongside other patient and bacterial factors, the role of the microbiome, with respect to both the presence of the bacteria with the microbiome, and how the microbiome trains our immune system to respond to infections will be key to tackling this major global clinical problem.

“This funding will allow us to shine a light on this poorly understood problem with a view to developing strategies and new therapies to reduce infection rates and patient suffering.”

Prof. Massey, together with Prof. Rachel McLoughlin from Trinity College Dublin, Prof. Mario Recker at the University of Exeter and researchers at the University of Bristol will, through this Wellcome Trust funding, examine how this bacteria cause damage to human tissue and evade the immune system.

They plan to build the first detailed description of the key bacteria-host interactions and processes, with a view to identifying key intervention points to inform treatment guidelines.

Director of APC Microbiome Ireland Prof Paul Ross commented: “Staphylococcus aureus infection is a huge global concern and dedicated research like that led by Professor Massey and colleagues is urgently needed to stop the loss of life and suffering of patients the world over.”