Funding for international study on pneumococcal disease in children
The University of Lucerne has received a research grant for an international project investigating pneumococcal disease in children in the Philippines. The study aims to generate evidence that will help inform future vaccination strategies and preventive measures.
Pneumococcus is a leading cause of severe bacterial infections and deaths in children under the age of five worldwide. More than 100 types of the bacterium are known to exist, and they can cause a range of illnesses, including ear and bone infections, pneumonia, meningitis, and blood poisoning.
Although existing vaccines protect against the pneumococcal strains most commonly associated with severe disease, other strains not covered by current vaccines are becoming increasingly prevalent. Some of these strains are also resistant to antibiotics. At the same time, up-to-date data on the pneumococcal strains currently circulating in the Philippines remain limited. Continuous monitoring of these developments is therefore essential to ensure the long-term effectiveness of vaccination programs.
Funding for research projects in the Asia-Pacific Region
The project “Streptococcus Pneumoniae Antimicrobial Resistance and Carriage in Filipino Children – Filipino-Australian-Swiss pneumococcal collaborative STudy (SPARC-FAST Collaboration)” addresses this knowledge gap. The research team will investigate which pneumococcal strains are currently circulating among children in the Philippines, how common antibiotic resistance is, and which factors contribute to its spread. The findings will provide policymakers with evidence to support the further development of immunization programs and informed vaccine selection.
The project has received a research partnership grant from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Funding is provided through the University of Zurich’s Leading House Asia Pacific, which supports research collaborations between Swiss institutions and partners across the Asia-Pacific region. The program aims to strengthen scientific cooperation with a region that is playing an increasingly important role in global research and innovation. In its first call, 40 out of 207 submitted projects were selected for funding.
Collaboration between researchers from Switzerland, Australia and the Philippines
The project is led by Dr. Peter Francis Raguindin, Senior Research Assistant at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine at the University of Lucerne, in collaboration with PD Dr. med. Petra Zimmermann, PhD, Senior Pediatrician and Clinical Researcher at the Children’s Hospital of Central Switzerland. International project partners include the Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the University of the Philippines Manila and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia, two leading institutions in the field of global child health in the Asia-Pacific region.
Data and biological samples will be collected in the Philippines. Laboratory analyses will be conducted at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne. These activities will be accompanied by a bilateral exchange between the research teams in Australia and the Philippines, including joint training activities, knowledge exchange, and the further development of laboratory methods. The University of Lucerne team will be responsible for integrating and analyzing the data, interpreting the findings, and preparing scientific publications.
In addition to scientific publications and recommendations for policymakers, the project includes an international research exchange between Switzerland and its project partners. Researchers from Australia and the Philippines will visit the University of Lucerne and the Children’s Hospital of Central Switzerland as part of the collaboration. The partnership is intended to foster long-term cooperation and lay the groundwork for future joint research initiatives.
- Project title: Streptococcus Pneumoniae Antimicrobial Resistance and Carriage in Filipino Children – Filipino-Australian-Swiss Pneumococcal Collaborative STudy (The SPARC-FAST Collaboration)
- Project lead: Dr. Peter Francis Raguindin, Senior Research Assistant at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne
- Project participants: PD Dr. med. Petra Zimmermann, PhD, Senior Pediatrician and Clinical Researcher at the Children’s Hospital of Central Switzerland and Project Lead in Medicine, University of Lucerne; Prof. Josephine Aldaba, Research Assistant Professor, Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health – University of the Philippines Manila; Prof. Catherine Satzke, Group Leader, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne
- Project duration: 18 months
- Approved funding amount: CHF 49’000 (rounded)
Further information on the Leading House Asia Pacific
News article by the University of Zurich «Leading House Asia Pacific Launch Event»
