MICROBES AND MAN

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October 13, 2004 Berlin
MICROBES AND MAN Research Programme 2003-2005
Soile JuutiProgramme managerFinland
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Funding agencies of MICMAN

• Academy of Finland
• The main governmental funding agency of basic
  science in Finland
• Annual research funding over 200 million
• The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research
  (SSF)
• Foundation based on governmental funding
• Annual reserach funding ab. 60 million

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MICMAN
Finland 4.1 M Sweden 1.3 M

• Budget 5,4 million
• 15 projects (26 research groups)
• 125 persons 45 doctoral students
• A joint coordination

Finland 21 groups Sweden 5 groups
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OBJECTIVES OF MICMAN
To increase the knowledge of the interaction
between host and microbes To apply this
knowledge to the maintenance of health and
the prevention and treatment of diseases

• Researcher training and exchange
• Multidisciplinary networks
• Internationality

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SHARED ACTIVITIES ( )

• programme memorandum general description of
  the aims and the themes
• call for applications
• evaluation of applications
• proposal of decisions
• final scientific evaluation (in 2006)
• coordination programme activities
• - Funding agencies support groups on their own
  country only - Research reports according to
  slightly modified practicies

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THEMES OF THE 15 PROJECTS
Other
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Host-microbe interactions in the development and
course of diseases
Resident microbiota - influence of internal and
external factors
Development and application of modern molecular
biology methods
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Host-microbe interactionsin the development and
course of diseases
Molecular biology of infections

• e.g.,
• Host-pathogen interaction of Streptococcus
  pyogenes
• (bacteriological, immunological and genetic
  studies)
• Immune evasion mechanisms and molecules of
  microbial pathogens (Borreliae, Streptococci

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Resident microbiota

• Development, composition and health effects
• under the influence of
• host itself and
• environmental factors (pathogenic and
  probiotic bacteria)
• e.g.,
• Long-term impact of antimicrobial treatment for
  the microbial flora of the gastrointestinal
  tract
• The role of probiotics in the development of
  the mucosal immune system in infancy

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Species studied

• Borrelia
• Chlamydia pneumoniae
• Cyanobacteria
• Echinococcus granulosus
• Escherichia coli
• Helicobacter pylori
• Lactobacillus
• Salmonella
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Streptococcus
• Yersinia

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MICMAN and Era-Net

• MICMAN will end 12/2005 ....however
• Continuation as a virtual programme
• We are ready and willing to collaborate
  regarding organizations of workshops, seminars,
  post-graduate courses, etc.
• Proposal for a graduate school (2006-2009)
  under preparation
• Annual Seminar of MICMAN February 16-17,
  2005 Helsinki, Finland (www.aka.fi/micman
  gtEvents)

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MICMAN and Era-Net

• Allocation of funding to the transnational calls
  of Era-Net? (Academy of Finland, SSF?)

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www.aka.fi/micman soile.juuti_at_ktl.fi
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MICMAN PROJECTS
Host-microbe interactions in the development and
course of diseases
1. Reactivation and immune evasion of Borrelia
infection - Aim interactions of Borrelia
spirochetes and the host during infection
(e.g. production of gene expression data in
interaction with host) 2. Pathogenesis of
reactive arthritis - Aim mechanisms and
molecules behind the incomplete eliminarion
of bacteria causing reactive arthitis
(Salmonella/Yersinia). 3. Microbes and allergy
From population observations to animal models
- Aim relative role of genes vs. environment
in atopic diseases (H.pylori)
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MICMAN PROJECTS
Host-microbe interactions in the development and
course of diseases
4. Microbial factors and host resposes
discriminating commensals from pathogens -
Aim bacterial factors and mechanisms that cause
the host to regulate its reactions to
asymptomatic colonisers and pathogenic bacteria
(Salmonella, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus)
5. A paradox of a microbe and man - what
makes Staphylococcus aureus a pathogen?
- Aim to develop a system for the virulence gene
expression studies in S.a. 6. Genetic
susceptibility to streptococcal infections -
Aim to study e.g. molecular properties of
various streptococcal strains
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MICMAN PROJECTS
Host-microbe interactions in the development and
course of diseases

• 7. Microbial resistance to innate immunity -
  Aim immune evasion mechanisms of microbes
  deficiencies that predispose to
  infections
• 8. Host-microbe interaction in acute and
  persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection
  - Aim molecular mechanisms by which C.p.
  contributes to the pathogenesis of
  acute and persistent infections
• 9. Microbial pathogenesis of cardiovascular
  disease - Aim ethiological role of Chlamydia
  pneumoniae and other microbes and the
  host inflammatory response

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MICMAN PROJECTS
Resident microflora

• 10.Bacterial-epithelial cross-talk and the
  establishment of the mucosal immune system
  - Aim role of bacterial-epithelial cell
  interactions for intestinal leukocyte
  populations
• 11. Microbial ecology of man in health and
  disease Emergence, spread and persistence of
  antibiotic resistance in the normal microflora
  - Aim e.g. to develop new molecular methods for
  analyses of normalflora
• 12.Host-microbe crosstalk in infancy creating a
  balance between the internal and external
  environments - Aim effects of probiotics on
  infants
• 13.DNA microarrays for studying interactions of
  probiotic, pathogenic and normal gut
  microbiota bacteria with human intestinal
  epithelial cells - Aim gene expression
  patterns elicited in host intestinal cells by
  pathogenic, probiotic and normal
  intestainal bacteria

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MICMAN PROJECTS
Other themes
14. Infectious origins of the human genome. Human
endogenous retroviruses in health and
disease - Aim Development of
bioinformatics 15. Cyanobacteria and adjacent
microbes causes of acute human
intoxications and indicators of water quality
- Aim acute intoxications associated with
cyanobacteria causative agents and
mechanisms