What we do
About our project
What is the motivation for this research?
Because of the world’s ageing population, more and more cardiac devices are being implanted, such as pacemakers, prosthetic valves, and left ventricular assist devices. However, life-threatening bacterial infections can occur on these devices. Currently, such infections are mainly diagnosed using ultrasound imaging; unfortunately, this method is not specific or sensitive enough, making accurate diagnoses challenging. A targeted, non-invasive treatment is also desperately needed, but currently unavailable because of the complex disease.
What is the aim?
Advanced ultrasound imaging and therapy using targeted ultrasound contrast agents, i.e. targeted microbubbles, to detect and treat bacterial infections is needed to solve the challenges. The main objective is to develop innovative detection, analysis, and modelling methods to accurately determine which targeted microbubble vibrations are needed to diagnose and eradicate bacterial biofilm infections on cardiac devices.
How will you perform this research?
We will develop ultrasound molecular imaging and treatment of cardiac device-related biofilm infections using ultrasound and targeted microbubbles. The research has three main objectives:
Objective 1: develop microbubbles targeted to cardiac device-related biofilm infection;
Objective 2: develop ultrasound molecular imaging for diagnosis;
Objective 3: treat cardiac device-related biofilm infections.
For this research we will also use infected cardiac devices removed from patients as part of their treatment.
What is the desirable outcome?
The project’s achievements will enable precise diagnosis and treatment of cardiac device-related bacterial biofilm infections.
Funds & Grants
Collaborations
Collaborations within Erasmus MC
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Hematology
Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (MMID)
Pathology
Collaborations outside of Erasmus MC
University of Virginia, Klibanov lab
Leeds Microbubble Consortium
Laboratory of Acoustical Wavefield Imaging, Delft University of Technology
Publications
Our team
Klazina Kooiman, PhD, Principal Investigator
Technician:
- Mariël Leon – Grooters, BSc
Postdoctoral fellow:
- Kirby R. Lattwein, PhD
PhD students:
- Joop J.P. Kouijzer, MSc
- Hongchen Hongchen Li, MSc
Alumni:
- Reza Pakdaman Zangabad, PhD
