Clinical Research Unit "Healthcare-associated Infections"
The Clinical Research Unit (CRU) for healthcare-associated infections, headed by Dr. med. Siri Göpel, combines knowledge from clinical practice, microbiology, basic research and epidemiology. Scientists and physicians work closely together, investigate various aspects of hospital-associated infections and develop measures to combat the increase in antibiotic-resistant pathogens in hospitals. The working group has great expertise in designing and conducting clinical trials and forms the basis of cooperation within the research field "Healthcare-Associated and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infections", but also with other partners within and outside DZIF. During the Corona pandemic, which pushed many hospitals to the limit, the CRU working group was able to provide rapid support for urgently needed COVID research projects.
Current studies
A large cohort of patients with bloodstream infections is currently being examined to determine the long-term consequences of bloodstream infections and other specific questions regarding the treatment of bloodstream infections. In the past, the cohort was used to develop a prognosis model for short- and long-term mortality in bloodstream infections.
In the current DZIF clinical study, which is supported by CRU staff, the microbiome of surgical patients is examined at regular intervals and the effects of antibiotic therapies and complications are analysed.
Other projects deal with previously neglected patient groups and special problems in the context of Antibiotic Stewardship (ABS), e.g. in paediatrics and geriatrics. In a cooperation project, the application of IT-supported information systems in the context of ABS in everyday clinical practice is to be investigated.
Another focus of the working group is the epidemiological processing of overarching topics of Antibiotic Stewardship, especially in the sense of the One Health approach, i.e. The group is represented in superordinate and international networks for this purpose, such as Combacte-Magnet, EPI-Net and PrIMAVeRa, as well as the ARCH-Projekt, in which guidelines for the strategy of monitoring antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic consumption are being developed. Some of these guidelines have already been published as so-called "white papers".
