Persistent infections caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae have been identified as risk factors for various chronic diseases, but effective measures for diagnosing or eradicating them are missing. The aim of this project is to develop new treatment strategies on these infections based on multi-target drugs, as well as to identify biomarkers suitable for fast and convenient identification of the condition. The studies on novel treatments include target deconvolution of newly identified agents sensitizing the infection to antibiotics, drug repositioning and investigating probiotics for rising innate responses against the infection. Biomarker studies include characterization of infection-induced extracellular vesicles and studies on a chlamydial enzyme cleaving human proteins. The obtained results will improve our understanding on the complex interactions of C. pneumoniae and its host and may be translated into remarkable health benefits.

2020

2025