European research effort FUMINOMICS tackles dangerous mould

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European research effort FUMINOMICS tackles dangerous mould

18.09.2008

innovations report (Pressemitteilung) - Schmitten,Hessen,Germany*

http://www.innovationsreport.de/html/berichte/biowissenschaften_chemi

e/european_research_effort_fuminomics_tackles_118442.html

Ubiquitous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus poses an increasing threat

to patients with compromised immune systems

The European Science Foundation (ESF) has launched a new Research

Networking Programme, FUMINOMICS, to study the basic genetic and

molecular mechanisms employed by the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus

when infecting host cells.

Infection with A. fumigatus is an increasing clinical problem and

often has lethal consequences for patients with a compromised immune

system. The four-year FUMINOMICS programme is supported by 7

contributing ESF member organisations* and involves most of the

leading laboratories from several European countries. FUMINOMICS

will be kicked-off with the workshop 'Transcriptomics and Molecular

Tools' from 18-21 September in Giens, France.

Aspergillus fumigatus, a member of the large Aspergillus family of

filamentous fungi (moulds), is an ubiquitous mould that lives in the

soil and on plant debris and disperses its spores through the air.

The mould is harmless to most people, but for those with a seriously

diminished immune system, infection with A. fumigatus can be fatal.

The group most at risk are people who have undergone organ (bone

marrow) transplants and cancer treatment.

In this group, infection with A. fumigatus is often lethal, with

mortality rates of 60-90% and occurs in 25 % of haematology

patients. Diagnosis of invasive disease caused by A. fumigatus is

difficult (it is often mistaken for pneumonia), as is the treatment

of this type of infection.

Currently, A. fumigatus is already the most common cause of

(clinical) mould infections worldwide. Harmless as the mould may be

for persons with a normal defence system, there are still many cases

known in which infections with A. fumigatus resulted in severe

disease or even death in healthy individuals.

Until now, little is known of how A. fumigatus operates when

infecting host cells. Considering the increasing clinical impact of

the mould, fundamental research into its basic genetic mechanism is

urgently needed. The ESF Research Networking Programme FUMINOMICS

will tackle the basic questions surrounding gene expression and gene

regulation of A. fumigatus through a multidisciplinary and fully

integrated functional genomics approach that spans bioinformatics,

transcriptomics, proteomics, physiology, molecular genetics and

medicine.

Lau | Quelle: alphagalileo

Weitere Informationen: www.esf.org

www.esf.org/fuminomics