The Clinical Biofilm Group is associated with the Dept. of Clinical Microbiology, Odense University Hospital and focuses on translating clinical and experimental research to new treatment regimens, diagnostic assays, and medical devices in collaboration with hospital departments and companies. We moreover investigate host-pathogen interactions using innovative, in-house established in vitro cell culture models and animal infection models.
Members
Thomas Emil Andersen, assoc. prof., MSc, PhD
Rune Micha Pedersen, clin. assoc. prof., MD, PhD, department specialist
Kristian Stærk, MD, PhD, postdoc
Katrine Pilely, MSc, PhD, postdoc
Jens Sivkær Pettersen, MSc, PhD, postdoc
Line Lundegård Bang, MSc, biomedical laboratory scientist
Ditte Tornby, MSc, PhD student
Jannie Søvsø Hjelmager, MSc, research assistant
Julie May Jensen, animal technician
Interested in urinary tract infection? See our homepage on this topic here (Danish)
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Research focus
Biofilm-related infections continue to be a major problem at hospitals. Bacteria and fungi are efficient colonizers of implants and indwelling medical devices, which leads to failure of device function and compromised patient treatment. In addition, pathogenic organisms may use biofilm growth as a means of surviving host response in the body’s inner cavities, facilitating invasion and systemic infection.
The research conducted at the Clinical Biofilm Group at the Dept. of Clinical Microbiology, Odense University Hospital, is based on innovative in vitro infection models intended to reproduce keys steps of pathogenesis. Liquid flow-assisted infection models are utilized to create accurate physiological hydrodynamic conditions and to obtain a controlled physicochemical micromilieu that simulates specific infection sites.
To assist the in vitro model research, the group has at its disposal various animal infection models, developed in collaboration with local hospital departments. The combined experimental platform enables detailed studies of infection pathogenesis and functions as a test platform for the development of novel antimicrobials and biocompatible medical devices.
Our research platform also includes experimental research in SARS-CoV-2 where we, under BSL-3 approved facilities, utilize our experience in cell-culture based infection modelling.
Ongoing projects
In this project, funded by the European Union and The Innovation Fund Denmark, we collaborate with the Danish Fundamental Metrology Institute, the Danish company LightNovo and the Lithuanian company Standa to develop a miniaturized Raman spectrometer for identification of bacterial infections in wounds. Wound infection is a considerable risk factor especially after surgical procedures and in immune-compromized patients. Fast and reliable identification of pathogenic bacteria in wounds is therefore of utmost importance. This project aims to build a handheld Raman instrument that enables immediate detection of infections in wounds, using novel miniaturized Raman technology coupled with machine learning software.
The project is supported by the EU EUREKA - Eurostars Programme and runs from March 2023 to August 2025.
TELEGRAFT is a multi-disciplinary project involving 10 international partners from, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Denmark. Launched in late 2022, the project aims to develop a novel tissue- and blood compatible vascular graft for dialysis. Our tasks in this project are to co-develop antibacterial and tissue-integration properties of the graft, and assist the development of an integrated Raman sensor. Read more about the project here.
The project is supported with 4.8M€ by the European Union and runs until Dec. 2027.
In the project we analyze the viral load and virus neutralization capacity in COVID-19 hospitalized patients as well as in citizens. To do so, we have established one of DK’s only SARS-CoV-2 experimental laboratories at the facilities of Winsløwparken, Odense, DK. Here, patient/citizen samples are cultured, and viral load and neutralization capacity estimated based on plaque assays and plaque reduction neutralisation tests. Throughout 2020-2023 we have analyzed more than 600 patient samples and assisted the assessment of whether contagious virus is present in these persons. In 2021-23, our focus has been assessments of the effect of the COVID-19 vaccines on neutralization capacity in vulnerable patient groups such as kidney- and cancer patients. Lastly, we have investigated the protection provided by the vaccines in healthy individuals against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
During 2020-2023 the project has been funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Region of Southern Denmark, and the Danish Ministry og Higher Education and Science.
In this EU-funded project we collaborate with the SDU-spinoff GlyProVac (DK), Fraunhofer (DE) og Epitopic GmbH (DE) to develop and perform pre-clinical tests of a novel vaccine candidate against recurrent urinary tract infection. Preclinical evaluation is performed in our porcine UTI model.
The project is supported by the EU EUREKA - Eurostars Programme and runs until March 2024.
This project aims to elucidate the pathogenesis associated with Clostridium difficile intestinal infection. This organism is a major problem at hospitals worldwide, due to its resistance towards many antibiotics. Patients treated with antibiotics often lose their normal intestinal flora, leaving ideal conditions for C. diff. As a consequence, patients may become chronically infected with C. diff., resulting in significant morbidity among these patients. Using the in vitro intestinal infection models developed by the Clinical Biofilm Group, the colonization mechanisms by C. diff. are investigated and novel treatment regimens are developed and tested.
The project is funded by the MICA foundation and the model development by the SDU Research and Innovation Foundation.
Recently finalized projects
The project utilized the research groups’ flow-chamber based intestinal infection model to assess the colonization efficiency of selected outbreak VRE strains. By doing so, we aimed to assess the hypothesis, that certain outbreak VRE strains are specifically competent in rapid colonization of the human intestine, and that this might explain their uncontrolled spread in hospital departments.
The project was funded by the OUH Research Fund and the Region of Southern Denmark.
A cross-disciplinary project in which the Clinical Biofilm Group collaborated with the Danish Fundamental Metrology Institute (DK), BacAlert IVS (DK) and art photonics GmbH (DE) with the common goal of developing next generation technology for fast identification of pathogenic bacteria.
The project was funded by the European Union EUREKA programme.
The project was funded by EU’s Horizon 2020 Eurostars program.
Project cooperation with Biomodics ApS (DK) and Venair Iberica SA (ES). Funded by the Horizon 2020 Eurostars Programme. In the project, a novel anti-infection balloon urinary catheter was developed.
The project was funded by European Unions’ Horizon 2020 Eurostars programme.
The project has ended. Main results from the project were recently published.
Publications
Stærk K, Heidtmann CV, Hjelmager JS, Nielsen CU, Nielsen P, Andersen TE. The infectious capacity of Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus in a porcine model of urinary tract infection. Accepted in APMIS.
Stærk K, Andersen K, Hjelmager JS, Jensen LK, Jørgensen BM, Møller-Jensen J, Lund L, Andersen TE. Bladder catheterization improves bacterial interference with asymptomatic Escherichia coli 83972 in an experimental porcine model of urinary tract infection. Accepted in Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Bang LL, Madsen LW, Pedersen RM, Nilsson AC, Johansen IS, Andersen TE. Sotrovimab lost neutralization efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 subvariants but remained clinically effective: were monoclonal antibodies against COVID-19 rejected too early? J Infect Public Health. 2024;17(9):102512.
Peterson E, Soderstrom B, Prins N, Le GHB, Hartley-Tassell LE, Evenhuis C, Grønnemose RB, Andersen TE, Møller-Jensen J, Iosifidis G, Duggin IG, Saunders B, Harry EJ, Bottomley AL. The role of bacterial size, shape and surface in macrophage engulfment of uropathogenic E. coli cells. PLoS Pathog. 2024, 6;20(9):e1012458.
Beagan L, Bang LL, Grønnemose RB, Foertsch S, Andersen TE, Ding M. Fucoidans from Laminaria Hyperborea demonstrate bactericidal activity against diverse bacteria. J Appl Phycol 2024; 36: 2199–2208.
Heidtmann C, Fejer A, Stærk Kristian, Maria P, Asmussen M, Hertz F, Prabhala BK, Frimodt-Møller N, Klitgaard JK, Andersen TE, Nielsen C, Nielsen P. Hit-to-lead Identification and Validation of a Triaromatic Pleuromutilin Antibiotic Candidate. J Med Chem. 2024 Mar 14;67(5):3692-3710.
Bang LL, Tornby DS, Pham STD, Assing K, Palarasah Y, Madsen LW, Thomsen KG, Johansen I, Pedersen RM, Andersen TE. Culturing of SARS-CoV-2 from patient samples: protocol for optimal virus recovery and assessment of infectious viral load. J Virol Methods. 2024 May;326:114912.
Ilchenko O, Pilhun Y, Kutsyk A, Slobodianiuk D, Goksel Y, Dumont E, Vaut L, Mazzoni C, Morelli L, Rindzevicius T, Andersen TE, Lassen M, Thomsen BL, Mundhada H, Jendresen CB, Philipsen PA, Hædersdal M, Boisen A. Optics miniaturization strategy for demanding Raman spectroscopy applications. Nat Commun. 2024;15(1):3049.
Beagan ML, Dreyer CH, Jensen LK, Jensen HE, Andersen TE, Overgaard SO, Ding M. The potential of sheep in preclinical models for bone infection research – a systematic review. J Orthop Translat. 2024;45:120-131.
Riber SS, Clausen LL, Dahl M, Riber LP, Andersen TE, Lindholt JS. Experimental comparative study of a novel drug-eluting arteriovenous graft in a sheep model. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2024;11:1341154.
Schrøder B, Tentor F, Miclăuș T, Stærk K, Andersen TE, Spinelli M, Rendeli C, Del Popolo G, Bagi P, Nielsen, LF. New micro-hole zone catheter reduces residual urine and mucosal microtrauma in a lower urinary tract model. Sci Rep. 2024, 14, 2268.
Stærk K, Schrøder B, Jensen LK, Andersen TE, Nielsen LF. Catheter-associated bladder mucosal trauma during intermittent voiding: an experimental study in pigs. BJUI Compass. 2024;5:217–223.
Grønnemose RB, Tornby DR, Riber SS, Hjelmager JS, Riber LPS, Lindholt JS, Andersen TE. An antibiotic-loaded silicone-hydrogel interpenetrating polymer network for prevention of surgical site infections. Gels. 2023; 9(10):826.
Kern K, Delaroque N, Boysen A, Puder M, Wendt R, Kölsch A, Ehrentreich-Förster E, Stærk K, Andersen TE, Andersen K, Lund L and Szardenings M. Glycosylation of bacterial antigens changes epitope patterns. Front. Immunol. 2023. 14:1258136.
Rasmussen M, Møller FT, Baig S, Bennedbæk M, Christiansen LE, Cohen AS, Ellegaard K, Fomsgaard A, Franck KT, Gunalan V, Larsen NB, Larsen TG, Lassaunière R, Polacek C, Qvesel AG, Sieber RN, Rasmussen LD, Stegger M, Spiess K, Tang ME, Vestergaard LS, Andersen TE, Hoegh SV, Pedersen RM, Skov MN, Steinke K, Sydenham TV, Hoppe M, Nielsen L, Krause TG, Ullum H, Jokelainen P. First cases of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 in Denmark, 2023. Eurosurveillance. 2023 Sep 7; 28(36): 2300460.
Stærk K, Jensen, LK, Andersen TE. Evaluation of urine dipstick tests in experimental porcine urinary tract infection with uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Sci Rep 13, 12404 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39239-7.
Pedersen RM, Bang LL, Holm DK, Madsen LW, Johansen IS, Jensen TG, Justesen US, Bistrup C, Andersen TE. Serum Neutralization of Omicron XBB.1.5 in Kidney Transplant Recipients After Bivalent mRNA Booster Vaccination. Kidney International Reports. 2023 May 26;8(8):1665–8. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2023.05.020.