Peter Bergman

Severe illness from viral infections affects only a small fraction of exposed individuals, with genetic factors playing a role, but much of this variability remains unexplained. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ~10% of critically ill patients were found to harbor autoantibodies that block type I interferons, revealing cytokine autoantibodies as a key factor in infection susceptibility. However, current means to identify cytokine autoantibodies are limited, and their broader role in viral diseases is likely underestimated, leaving individuals at risk undiagnosed and without specific treatment.This project aims to identify cytokine autoantibodies with pathogenic roles in viral diseases. Leveraging our proven high-throughput screening platforms and access to unique patient cohorts, we will analyze blood samples from thousands of individuals with over 20 different viral illnesses to detect autoantibodies against a panel of more than 200 cytokines. Identified autoantibodies will undergo functional characterization to assess their impact on immune responses and disease severity. Furthermore, we will evaluate a cost-effective approach to cytokine autoantibody diagnostics based on dried blood spots with potential for population-level screening.The findings could have a significant clinical impact by identifying cytokine autoantibodies with causative roles in viral disease, guiding prevention strategies and treatment, and strengthening preparedness for future pandemics.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) & multi-drug resistance, whereby pathogens evolve to resist antibiotic drugs, is designated by WHO one of the top 10 health threats of our time and is a top 3 priority health threat requiring EU level coordination. AMR was estimated to be linked to 4.95 million deaths in 2019. The next global pandemic could be a multi-drug resistant bacterium, or emergence of ‘pan-drug’ resistant strains (resistant to all existing drugs). Alternative therapeutic approaches are proving to be expensive and slow to develop, whilst also facing the risk of evolving strains. The innate immunity presents the strongest potential to tackle AMR as it can generate antimicrobial molecules and proteins that directly inhibit microbial survival. Inducing such proteins has shown effective antimicrobial activity against bacteria, viruses, fungi & protozoa. Building on this approach, leading professors and researchers from 9 Universities and research institutes are collaborating with 7 medical and industry partners representing 9 EU countries to introduce a novel class of immune system inducers able to enhance the body’s own innate microbial defence mechanisms to combat AMR and reduce incidence of the 13 listed most dangerous infections (including 2 of the top 3 priority-1 infections). IN-ARMOR will optimise an already developed drug platform using Computer Aided Drug Design, and in-silico approaches, in tandem with a nanotech-based drug delivery system for the first target indication. The developed therapy will be pre-clinically validated for safety and efficacy in-vitro and in vivo to complete all investigational Medicinal Product requirements. Upon completion, IN-ARMOR will be prepared for clinical validation. Upon commercialisation, IN-AMOR could potentially save more 4Mn lives worldwide and result in the significant burden reduction of antibiotic development with long-term cost reduction impact of €107Bn, whilst reducing the global disease burden by 96.84Mn DAL