In Germany, considerable moves were made towards the support of bacteriophage (phage) therapy in the last months, including completed case series, an early clinical study, and a practicability test of the magistral approach according to the Belgian model. Embedded in the German phage task group, we are motivated to enhance international and German cross-disciplinary teamwork and to provide patients with safe, certified and tailor-made adjunct phage therapy.

In addition to deciphering the safest and most realistic way of phage therapy, we seek to enhance a bioanalytical filtration method for tailored fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). FMT has shown curative potential in various disorders in the digestive tract. Thus, interest in FMT is growing particularly on the side of patients despite several reported adverse events. Adverse events by FMT are based on the complex composition of the material including pathogenic and facultative pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Patients suffering from intestinal Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be expected to profit from major advantages of a filter-based enrichment method such as monolithic affinity filtration. This technically advanced enrichment system is enhanced to a purification device, which could offer unique benefits in GvHD-situations and IBD. There is special focus on phage-based coatings and the optimal arrangement of filters using series circuits.

Team (co-supervision with Prof. Li Deng and PD Dr. Michael Seidel):
-          Eggl, Anja (study nurse)
-          Hering, Svenja (doctoral student)
-          Marinkovic, Vanessa (study nurse)
-          Trommler, Julian (master student)
-          Wesch, Chris (doctoral student)
-          Winkler Corinna (doctoral student)
-          Geier, Raffaela (bachelor student, successfully completed)

Third party funding:
-          German Research Foundation (DFG, SFB 1371, seed funding)
-          Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS, Forschungskolleg "Mikrobielle Trigger als Auslöser von Krankheiten", Clinician scientist)
-          Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, PI: Prof. Li Deng)
-          German Center for Infection Research (DZIF, Translational medicine program, PI: Prof. Li Deng)
-          Commission for Clinical Research (KKF, Clinician scientist)

For questions to bacteriophage therapy, please don’t hesitate to contact silvia.wuerstle@tum.de. / Bei Fragen zur Therapie mit Bakteriophagen, wenden Sie sich bitte an silvia.wuerstle@tum.de.