DiscussionPathogenomics: An updated European Research Agenda
Introduction
Bacterial infections remain a major cause of disease and mortality in humans and animals throughout the world. Only the detailed understanding of their pathogenic processes will provide the innovative tools for their treatment, prevention and eradication. New concepts laid down in this Research Agenda contribute to a global policy of control of infections both in Europe and in the developing world. Several infections constitute novel and particularly onerous threats owing to the occurrence of new virulent strains and the development of antibiotic resistances. Innovations in diagnostic techniques and therapy, as well as the development of vaccines against pathogenic microorganisms, are expected to come out of the joint research activities recommended in the European Research Agenda in the field of pathogenomics.
Global approaches require technical platforms (i.e. genomics, microarrays, proteomics, imaging, structure, novel bioassays) that exceed the capacities of individual laboratories or institutions including the adaptation of international standards (i.e. MIAME (Gene expression), MIAPE (proteomics), MIARE (RNAi)). To that end, this proposed agenda will join together established European groups of the Network of Excellence “EuroPathoGenomics” as well as the ERA-NET PathoGenoMics to foster the development of new multidisciplinary paradigms in the study of infectious diseases.
Section snippets
The microbes
In order to enable the development of novel diagnostic tools, therapeutic agents and vaccine candidates it is necessary to characterize the molecular and cellular basis of infection caused by bacterial pathogens. Therefore, the following methods, techniques and research topics on microorganisms constitute the focus of the agenda.
Host–microbe interactions
The complex interaction between a microbial pathogen and a host (Fig. 4) is the underlying basis of the infectious disease. The understanding of the molecular and cellular details of these host–microbe interactions may lead to the identification of virulence-associated microbial genes and host-defence strategies. This information will be used for the design of a new generation of medical tools.
Development and improvement of tools for research and application
In order to identify novel targets for the eradication of and vaccination against pathogens new tools, methods and bioassays as well as novel diagnostic approaches and new in vitro screening techniques (e.g. small bioactive molecules) have to be developed and improved for research and application.
Outlook
The study of microbial pathogenesis, parasitism, symbiosis, and commensalism is a large field of research requiring extensive expertise in many different domains, including genomics, epidemiology, immunology, cellular biology, and imaging techniques. To cover this field it is necessary to federate European capacities of important research centers, laboratories and industry. Therefore, the EU-funded projects Network of Excellence “EuroPathoGenomics” (NoE EPG) and ERA-NET PathoGenoMics evolved
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