New NIAA supported research aims to improve sepsis treatment

Research supported by the National Institute of Academic Anaesthesia (NIAA), is examining the changes in immune response to sepsis over time, which could support potential improvements in treatment.

Dr Matthew Fish, former PhD student at King's College London and lead author of the study, was supported in his work by a British Journal of Anaesthesia/RCoA Fellowship, provided by the NIAA. 

The research team analysed blood samples from critically ill sepsis patients at different stages of their illness to map ways the immune system changes during sepsis, a life-threatening condition caused by the body's extreme response to infection.

Using advanced laboratory techniques and artificial intelligence, the research identified three distinct immune response states that occur between admission to intensive care and recovery. The immune states did not always match the clinical stage of a patient's illness, suggesting that people diagnosed with sepsis may be at different points in their immune response. These findings could help researchers develop more personalised treatments that target specific immune system changes at the right time.

The authors say the next step for this work is to understand what causes changes in the immune system between onset of infection to the development of sepsis. Read more about the full study. 

The BJA/RCoA scholarship is currently open for applications until 25th September. You can find out more about how to apply and the other grants available in the current round on the NIAA website.