Research Group
of
Silvio D. Brugger

lab news

Congratulations to Weronika for receiving an USZ Innopool Grant!

Dr. Weronika Barcik, a member of our team, has secured an USZ Innopool Grant for her research project focusing on histamine-producing and -inducing bacteria as key players in respiratory allergies. This study investigates the potential role these bacteria play in the severity of allergy symptoms, aiming to contribute towards the development of personalized allergy therapies to enhance treatment efficiency and patient quality of life.

Congratulations to Weronika for receiving an USZ Innopool Grant!

Dr. Weronika Barcik, a member of our team, has secured an USZ Innopool Grant for her research project focusing on histamine-producing and -inducing bacteria as key players in respiratory allergies. This study investigates the potential role these bacteria play in the severity of allergy symptoms, aiming to contribute towards the development of personalized allergy therapies to enhance treatment efficiency and patient quality of life.

Our Lab was honoured by a visit from FreeNovation

It was a pleasure to welcome a delegation from FreeNovation to our lab so they could see how our work is progressing and funding is being invested in true innovation.

University Hospital Zurich recognises work of sdb lab

The work of our sdb lab research team led by Prof. Silvio D. Brugger has recently been featured in the USZ media for its exploratory focus on antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The project, which began in January 2023 with support from the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Gebert-Rüf Foundation, and FreeNovation, investigates a new approach by altering the respiratory tract's microbiome. This method, diverging from traditional antibiotic usage, aims to utilise benign bacteria in combatting pathogens like Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Preliminary results are expected by the end of 2027.

Projects

what's keeping our lab busy
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Microbiota engineering for respiratory health

Bacterial Interspecies interactions in the upper respiratory tract microbiota  - novel treatment and prevention strategies against pathogens

Funding: SNSF Starting Grant

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Host Microbiota Interactions

Interactions of benficial commensal bacteria with human airway tissue to protect from pathogens.

Funding: FreeNovation

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Probiotics

MRSA/MSSA eradication with commensals.

Funding: Gebert Rüf Stiftung; Hartmann-Müller Foundation

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Precision Medicine

KFSP – BacVivo – Precision medicine for bacterial infections. Clinical Research Priority Programm (CRPP).

Funding: UZH CRPP BacVivo

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burnskin study

The bacterial microbiota in burn patients – understanding microbial evolution under antibiotic selection pressure for future therapeutic and preventive approaches.

Funding: Béatrice-Ederer-Weber Foundation

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Bacterial fitness in interspecies interactions

Our lab has establised an innovative method to determine the reproductive fitness of bacteria when in competitive interaction with each other.
Using an Arduino robot with 3D-printable parts and open-source software, it is easy to print your own setup for Bacterial Quantitative Fitness Analysis (BaQFA). Find out mor at the dedicated BaQFA website.

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covid-19 & T Cells

Protective and Pathogenic T Cell Immunity During SARS-CoV-2 Infection.
A collaboration (SNF, Lead: Roland Martin).

MicrobiotaCOVID cohort (with Philipp K. Bühler)

SARS-CoV-2-Induced Immune Alterations and their Role in Post-COVID Syndrome.

Funding: The LOOP Zurich

Infect website

INFECT

Intuitive access to the latest data regarding microbes, antibiotic susceptibility and antibiotic treatments.
A collaboration with the INFECT Association (infect.org)

publications

the latest research from the sdb lab

lab

working and teaching at the sdb lab

A well-equipped Lab

Although we are chronically low on lab space, the SDB LAB has awsome equipment and the resources to acquire what's need for our projects.

Disseminating Knowledge

Our lab members actively engage in teaching at an academic level. We do University lectures, case presentations, journal clubs, clinical bedside teachings, seminar series on evidence based medicine, and clinical skills training (and the occational beer session for applied physiology).