Systemic environmental effects on neonatal Immune Development (SeenID)

• Applicant: Dr. Florens Lohrmann
• Subject Area: Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine ; Clinical Immunology and Allergology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 550450361

The Systemic environmental effects on neonatal Immune Development (SeenID) study is a highly innovative, ambitious, large-scale study to tackle a major global health concern: Neonatal immune system priming by the environment, predisposing to infections and immunopathologies later in life. After birth, the neonatal immune system must instantly cope with microbial colonization and environmental triggers and, at the same time, must provide immediate defense against invasive infections. While genetic variations cause specific immunodeficiencies and influence immune-related health and diseases later in life, it is mostly the environment that shapes the development and function of the human immune system early in extra-uterine life during a limited window of opportunity. Among the environmental factors contributing to the maturation of the immune system are the microbiome and exposure to potential pathogens, nutrition, which modulates the microbiome and immune reactions, as well as exposures to noxious agents, drugs, and standard-of-life environment. Episodes of immunological emergencies such as invasive infections are also influential. Here, we propose an approach based on a high-resolution, longitudinal analysis of >1000 neonates from highly distinctive, yet well-characterized environments over a two-year observational period. In the framework of two large intervention studies in rural Uganda and Kenya, we closely follow cohorts of neonates including assessment of health-associated data and sequential sampling of blood and stool. Recruitment is already successfully ongoing. The samples are locally stabilized and frozen, then shipped to Stockholm where they are analyzed side-by-side with age-matched samples from a Swedish cohort. This enables us to dissect specific environmental influences on the developing immune system. This study will provide a mechanistic understanding of factors involved in early immune programming and thus of early determinants contributing to infections and immunopathologies later in life.

• DFG Programme: WBP Fellowship
• International Connection: Sweden
• Host: Professor Petter Brodin, Ph.D.