Success Story
Early Diagnosis of Pediatric Sepsis
Critical Care
Identifying reliable biomarkers for critically ill children could save lives
The PHRT-funded RAPIDS project is co-led by Catherine Jutzeler of ETH Zurich and Luregn Schlapbach of the Children’s University Hospital in Zurich. It aims to improve the early diagnosis of pediatric sepsis through cutting-edge proteomic and metabolomic analysis.
Sepsis remains a major cause of death and long-term disability in children, and current diagnostic tools are often too slow or imprecise. By leveraging rapid omics technologies and a unique, well-characterized cohort of over 1,300 children, the study seeks to elucidate the biological phenotypes of sepsis. “The ultimate goal is to enable faster, more accurate diagnoses and improve outcomes for critically ill children worldwide’, Jutzeler explains. She also emphasizes the importance of pediatric-specific criteria.” Sepsis in children has historically been treated as simply a scaled-down version of the adult condition”, she says. “The new Phoenix definition, which was developed by Schlapbach and colleagues, is specifically tailored to the pediatric condition, making it a far more effective tool for capturing the complexities of sepsis in children.”
The goal of the RAPIDS study is not only to identify reliable biomarkers for sepsis but also to further our understanding of how the host’s immune response to infection leads to organ dysfunction. By combining multi-omics data, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, the project aims to develop a more precise differentiation of signatures which we can respond to clinically. This enables to differentiate more precisely between bacterial and viral infections in children. “Ultimately, we envision that this research will pave the way for the development of a diagnostic tool that can be used at the bedside.” This will allow clinicians to make more informed treatment decisions, reduce the impact of sepsis, and ultimately save lives.
“Ultimately, we envision that this research will pave the way for the development of a diagnostic tool that can be used at the bedside.”
The project is a prime example of the need for close collaboration between clinicians and data scientists. Understanding the clinical need and context is essential for guiding data analysis and interpreting findings accurately. Equally important is facilitating the clinical implementation of research results to ensure that diagnostic advances translate effectively into improved patient care. This type of interdisciplinary teamwork ensures that cutting-edge science faces up to real-world healthcare challenges in a meaningful and impactful way.
Reflecting on PHRT’s role, Jutzeler adds, “PHRT’s approach to fund projects co-led by ETH researchers and clinical experts is truly visionary—it fosters essential interdisciplinary collaboration that accelerates innovation and bridges the gap between research and clinical practice.”