1 July 2024
SNSF funding programme "IICTs": Two more successful projects from Basel
The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) is awarding a total of 6 projects in its funding program for academic clinical studies this year. Two of them come from Basel. One study is dedicated to the fight the dangerous bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, another to the prevention of lung complications in premature babies.
The LIPS study
Around a third of the world's population carry the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus on their skin, usually without causing any harm. However, if it enters the body, it can cause serious bloodstream infections and is one of the leading causes of death from infections worldwide. In Switzerland, around 2000 people are affected by such bloodstream infections every year, resulting in around 500 deaths. Even if the patients survive, around a third of them remain impaired in the long term.
The SNSF is providing over CHF 2 million for a study led by Richard Kühl, Nina Khanna and Benjamin Speich from the University Hospital Basel. Together with 11 other Swiss hospitals, this study will test a new combination therapy against bloodstream infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus.
VIDEO
LIPS study
Combination antibiotic treatment with linezolid for Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: a randomized controlled trial
Project lead
PD Dr. Richard Kühl, Head Physician, Clinic for Infectiology / Orthopaedics and Traumatology; Prof. Nina Khanna, Head Physician, Clinic for Infectiology; PD Dr. Benjamin Speich, PhD, Clinical Epidemiology, DKF
Planned number of participants
606
Planned number of study centers
12 in Switzerland
Study design
Pragmatic, 1:1 randomised, placebo-controlled, blinded, multicenter superiority study
Duration
5 years
Planned DKF Scientific Services
Methodological counseling, project management, data management, data analysis/statistics, patient & public involvement, regulatory affairs, monitoring
RELIEF study
The lungs of premature babies are extremely fragile. Every fifth baby develops chronic lung disease. The RELIEF study, now funded by the SNSF and led by Sven Schulzke, Head of Neonatology at the University Children's Hospital, is testing whether the amount of fluid intake has an influence on the development of such lung complications. The blood vessels in the immature lungs of premature babies are still permeable and too much fluid could damage the lung tissue.
With the participation of 9 Swiss neonatology centers, the study team wants to find out whether thicker milk and therefore less fluid intake protects the babies' lungs and leads to fewer long-term complications.
RELIEF study
Restricted versus liberal fluid intake for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia - a cluster-randomized multiple period cross-over trial
Project lead
Prof. Sven Schulzke, Head Physician, Neonatology, University Children's Hospital Basel
Planned number of participants
700
Planned number of study centers
9 in Switzerland
Study design
Pragmatic, open-label, cluster-randomised, cross-over study
Duration
5 years
Planned DKF Scientific Services
Project Management, Data Management, Patient & Public Involvement, Regulatory Affairs, Monitoring