Three researchers from Amsterdam UMC have each been awarded €1.5 million by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). This prestigious Vici grant will enable them to develop an innovative research line over the next five years and expand their research groups. Prof. Joost Wiersinga, from the Amsterdam Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases and the Amsterdam Public Health research institute, received the Vici grant for his study on preventing sepsis.
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by a dysregulated immune response to an infection, leading to organ failure, affecting millions worldwide each year. Any infection can escalate into sepsis, and the mortality risk is high. Beyond antibiotics and antiviral treatments, no targeted therapy currently exists. Prof. Wiersinga’s research aims to unravel the transition from a mild infection to sepsis, shifting future sepsis care from treatment to prevention.
The inspiration
Dr. Wiersinga’s interest in sepsis stems from the persistent failure of treatment trials over the last 20 years. “Apart from antibiotics and supportive care, we do not have a specific drug for sepsis,” he explains. He believes that interventions often occur too late in the disease’s progression. His research aims to identify early warning signs and intervene before an infection escalates into full-blown sepsis.
Key breakthroughs in sepsis prevention
With the support of the Vici grant, Dr. Wiersinga hopes to transform sepsis research by pioneering early interventions and advancing personalized medicine. “First and foremost, we need a better understanding of the transition from infection to sepsis,” he states. By identifying the tipping point where the immune system spirals out of control, researchers can develop tools for earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Sepsis research as key focus
From the beginning of his medical career, Dr. Wiersinga has been fascinated by severe infections. “Why do some individuals remain unaffected by a respiratory virus while others rapidly develop life-threatening organ dysfunction?” he wonders. Sepsis manifests in diverse ways, affecting everyone from young children with severe malaria to elderly patients with complicated urinary tract infections.
As awareness of sepsis has grown, so has the urgency to develop novel treatments. However, Dr. Wiersinga emphasizes that the fundamentals remain essential: ensuring access to care, early recognition, rapid and reliable diagnostics, the timely administration of antimicrobials and ensuring adequate levels of care.
The complexity of sepsis treatments
One of the biggest challenges in treating sepsis lies in its complexity. “Sepsis immunity is highly complex, and we still understand only a fraction of it,” Dr. Wiersinga admits. Sepsis is a rapidly evolving condition that affects different compartments of the body, making a universal treatment approach not feasible. Dr. Wiersinga envisions a future where individualized treatment strategies, rooted in a deep understanding of the immune system, lead to better outcomes for patients.
Advice for early-career researchers
As a Vici grant recipient, Dr. Wiersinga is recognized as a mentor to young scientists. His advice to them is simple yet powerful: “Follow your heart and do what you love. Passion is essential for staying motivated and achieving meaningful results.”
Beyond the lab
Outside of his research, Dr. Wiersinga enjoys unwinding in the kitchen. He takes cooking lessons from a professional chef and relishes the challenge, despite the occasional heat of the restaurant kitchen. A sign in the restaurant humorously points toward the tables with the words “To Hell,” yet he finds great joy in the experience.
About the Vici Grant
Vici is one of the largest personal scientific grants in the Netherlands, awarded to senior researchers who also mentor the next generation of scientists. This year, 43 leading researchers were selected from 369 applicants to receive this prestigious NWO grant.
Text: Esmée Vesseur
Read more about Dr. Wiersinga's work: