Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in cystic fibrosis: pathogen microevolution and host genetic predisposition (A02)

• Subject Area: Medical Microbiology and Mycology, Hygiene, Molecular Infection Biology
• Term: from 2010 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 158989968

The chronic airway infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa determine most morbidity in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). The within-host evolutionary process is studied by whole genome analysis of serial P. aeruginosa isolates of mild and severe courses of chronic infection including structural variation, epigenetics and intrastrain variation. The microbial airway metagenome of young CF children will be searched for the circumstances when the lower CF airways become positive for P. aeruginosa for the first time. Serial P. aeruginosa CF isolates are compared in their fitness to cope with CF lung - mimicking habitats and bacterial mutations will be characterized that are suspected to drive the adaptation of P. aeruginosa to the CF airways.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 900: Chronic Infections: Microbial Persistence and its Control
• Applicant Institution: Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Burkhard Tümmler