One of Dr Hadwen supported pieces of research

[Guest guest]

IDS-RELATED PNEUMONIA

 

Dr Jim Huggett (pictured), Prof Alimuddin Zumla & Dr Robert Miller

University College London

2006 – 2009 Research Technician: In vitro culture of Pneumocystis

jirovecii.

 

The Problem

Pneumocystis jirovecii is an infectious fungus that grows in the

lungs of immunocompromised patients and causes pneumonia,

particularly in AIDS patients. At present it is not possible to

culture this pathogen in the test-tube, and so much research has

instead focused on rats and mice infected with a related, but

different fungus.

 

Animal Experiments to be Replaced

A fungus that causes a form of pneumonia in rodents is grown in the

lungs of animals whose immune systems have been damaged, either with

chemicals or by genetic mutation. Rats and mice are used as living

incubators in which to grow the fungus, which is inoculated into

their lungs. Animals are likely to suffer breathing difficulties as

the disease progresses. Once they develop pneumonia they become

seriously ill and are killed.

 

The Alternative

A Trust project at University College London is devising the first-

ever test-tube method for culturing the human pathogen, to replace

experiments on infected rodents with purposely damaged immune

systems. The project is investigating both short- and long-term

culture methods, using donated samples of human lungs cells from

infected patients. The fruits of this project could revolutionise

research in this field, which for so long has focused on the wrong

species.