Severe Infections and Sepsis clinical NEtwork for identification of clinical and diagnostic Markers, immunological monitoring and “Target and tailored” therapies for adults, children and patients admitted to intensive care units – SIS-NET

Funder: Project funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3 – Cascade Call related to the Program “One Health Basic and Translational Actions Addressing Unmet Needs on Emerging Infectious Diseases – INF-ACT” funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU;

Award Number: Cascade Call related to the Program “One Health Basic and Translational Actions Addressing Unmet Needs on Emerging Infectious Diseases – INF-ACT” PE00000007, CUP B83C22002860006;

Start date: 27/05/2024

End date: 10/10/2025

Total NRRP funding for the cascade call: € 6.257.386,55

Total NRRP funding for Unipr: € 215.000,00

The SIS-NET project aims to establish a national network for identifying clinical and diagnostic markers, immunological monitoring, and developing tailored therapies for severe infections and sepsis in adults, children, and patients in intensive care units. The project involves creating a multidisciplinary network of research centers across Italy, focusing on data collection, analysis, and sharing to improve the management of infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens. The network will integrate existing infrastructures and expertise from various institutions to enhance epidemiological surveillance and interdisciplinary research.

The University of Parma (UNIPR) plays a crucial role in this project, particularly in pediatric and intensive care studies. Led by Professors Susanna Maria Roberta Esposito and Elena Giovanna Bignami, UNIPR will be responsible for enrolling patients, collecting samples, and analyzing data from neonates, children, adolescents, and intensive care patients. The Pediatric Clinic and the Unit of Anesthesia, and Analgesic Therapy at UNIPR will leverage their extensive clinical and research experience to contribute to the project's objectives. UNIPR's involvement also includes utilizing advanced data management techniques and analytics to support the project's goals.

The University of Parma is involved in the following WP (work packege):

• WP1: National network of adult and neonatal intensive care units, infectious disease and paediatric departments, microbiologies and laboratories
• WP3: Registry activation and data collection
• WP5: Analysis for the associations between sets of clinical diagnostic and immunological markers and severity/outcome indicators (clusterization) and creation of clinical profiles and tailored therapy protocols

• Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA)
• Università della Campania “L. Vanvitelli” (UNICAMPANIA)
• Università Magna Graecia di Catanzaro (UNICZ)
• Università degli Studi di Sassari (UNISS)
• Università degli Studi di Firenze (UNIFI)
• Università degli Studi di Genova (UNIGE)
• Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB)
• Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE)
• Università degli Studi di Perugia (UNIPG)
• Università di Pisa (UNIPI)
• Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (UNIROMA2)
• Università degli Studi di Trieste (UNITS)
• Istituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS (INMI)
• Università Telematica San Raffaele Roma (UNIROMA5)
• Società Servizi Telematici S.r.l. (PEDIANET)
• Società Italiana Anestesia, Analgesia, Rianimazione e Terapia Intensiva (SIAARTI)

• Department of Medicine and Surgery

UNIPR expects to achieve significant advancements in understanding and managing severe infections and sepsis through the SIS-NET project. The data collected and analyzed will help identify clinical profiles and patterns that predict responses to personalized therapies, optimizing treatment strategies for infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens. This will enhance microbial eradication, reduce resistance development, and improve both microbiological and clinical outcomes. The project aims to develop tailored therapy protocols based on clinical profiles, contributing to more effective and individualized patient care.

Additionally, the project will strengthen the research capabilities of UNIPR and other participating institutions, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. The integration of advanced technologies and interdisciplinary approaches will provide valuable insights into the immunological and microbiological aspects of severe infections and sepsis. The findings will be disseminated through scientific publications, conferences, and collaborations, enhancing the visibility and impact of the research. Ultimately, the SIS-NET project aims to improve patient outcomes and advance the field of infectious disease management.

https://www.inf-act.it/