Current grants/projects
Seed funding India 2021
Validation of the Paediatric Autoimmune Encephalitis Severity Score (PASS) in children with autoimmune encephalitis
Project Lead, Dr. Priyanka Madaan, Pediatric Neurology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Post graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
Awarded 2021
Lay Summary
Autoimmune encephalitis is a common cause of encephalitis in children. It is a condition in which the child’s own immune system acts against the brain cells, leading to dysfunction of the brain. Affected children can lose awareness of self and surroundings, and be unable to sleep or communicate. They can also have seizures or other violent involuntary movements. The condition can be very disabling and lead to a state where the child is bed-bound and dependent. Fortunately, there are drugs that when used appropriately can result in complete recovery in a significant number of children.
The measurement of severity of autoimmune encephalitis using a standard score is important to better understand the severity of the disease, to aid in decision-making regarding treatments, and to compare the experiences of various canters across the world. Although the Clinical Assessment Scale in Autoimmune Encephalitis (CASE) has been validated for rating the severity of autoimmune encephalitis in adults, it does not consider the differences between childhood and adult presentations, or the developmental context of age-appropriate skills in childhood. Hence, the development of an objective autoimmune encephalitis severity assessment tool for children is required.
The Paediatric Autoimmune Encephalitis Severity Score (PASS) is a score recently developed by a consensus of experts across the world. In this study we aim to validate this scoring tool to document the severity of autoimmune encephalitis in children. This score is anticipated to guide documentation of clinical severity during the active phase of the disease. It will serve as a numerical measure of severity for systematically evaluating treatments and comparing severity and outcomes across centers. Better and uniform evaluation of disease severity will ultimately lead to improvement in the care and outcomes in children with autoimmune encephalitis.
Seed funding India 2022
Project: To develop a novel diagnostic test that can differentiate scrub typhus from other causes of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in children
Encephalitis, swelling or inflammation of the brain, is a serious global health problem, leading to death of up to one-third of people affected by it, and around half of survivors not recovering fully. Recent research has shown scrub typhus as a major cause of encephalitis in children in India. Scrub typhus is an infection caused by bacteria that affects around 1 million people each year, especially in southeast Asia. Early diagnosis of scrub typhus encephalitis is important, as it is treatable, so starting antibiotics early can prevent death and long-term health problems.
Currently, scrub typhus diagnostics have problems (such as delays in performing lumbar puncture) that can lead to results being slow and/or unreliable. This research will start to address these challenges. I will examine the body’s responses (host transcripts) in the blood of children with scrub typhus encephalitis. I will compare these responses to those of patients with other causes of encephalitis and clinically similar brain infections. I will identify patient transcript responses unique to scrub typhus brain infection and use these transcripts to begin to develop a fast and accurate diagnostic blood test for scrub typhus encephalitis This test will offer prompt and accurate diagnosis, leading to earlier appropriate treatment and improved patient outcomes
Project Lead: Dr Tina Damodar DBT-Wellcome Trust Early Career Fellow
Department and institution: Department of Neurovirology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India (External sponsor for DBT Wellcome trust project: Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom)
Awarded 2022
Seed funding Uganda
Project title: Differentiating viral encephalitis from its mimics in patients with encephalitis of unknown aetiology
Encephalitis is a disease that develops when microbes like viruses enter the brain, altering its function. These encephalitides can present with confusion, convulsions, forgetfulness, and sometimes death. Many adults in Uganda admitted with encephalitis have no known cause for their illness. Their disease is referred to as encephalitis of unknown aetiology (EUE). Many of these patients die, and some who survive have long-term problems such as paralysis. Our research shows that some of these patients are treated for other diseases like tuberculosis, yet the aetiology could potentially be viral.
Biofire technology is a PCR-based platform that can identify these viruses fairly accurately and could reduce the cost of care and improve patient outcomes. It is available in Uganda but unfortunately, it is not commonly used because no research has extensively assessed its use to detect these viruses in EUE patients and the importance of paying for it in Uganda.
This study will evaluate the platform’s ability to identify these viruses in EUE. Findings from our study will provide data on the utility of using this test in the daily care of patients with EUE in Uganda’s public hospitals. It will also tell us the typical viruses these patients have and the best medications to give them. Additionally, we will collect cerebrospinal fluid for future immunology studies to characterize immune cells that enter the brain when one acquires EUE to investigate potential subgroups characterized by different immune responses.
Project lead: Dr. John Kasibante, MBChB, MSc Clinical Immunology
Institution: Research Department, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Awarded in 2022
