Julie Steinbrink, MD, MHS, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, has received a more than $900,000 K23 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for her innovative research aimed at transforming the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. As part of a five-year Career Development Award, Dr. Steinbrink will focus on developing a novel diagnostic approach that leverages host immune responses, offering a noninvasive method to diagnose fungal infections in immunocompromised patients.
Dr. Steinbrink’s research is particularly significant for patients who are at high risk of severe fungal infections, including those undergoing solid organ and stem cell transplants or those with hematologic malignancies. These populations are vulnerable to infections like invasive aspergillosis, which can cause critical illness or even death. However, existing diagnostic tools often rely on pathogen-based methods such as cultures and biopsies, which have considerable limitations and require invasive procedures, such as bronchoscopy.
"My research focuses on improving how we diagnose fungal infections, particularly invasive aspergillosis," Dr. Steinbrink explained. "The current diagnostic methods are limited, especially in immunocompromised patients who are at high risk of complications from invasive procedures. We need a better way to diagnose these infections early, and that's what this grant will help us accomplish. We've seen success applying this approach to multiple fungi, including Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, and Candida infection in animal and in vitro models, as well as human cases of Candida infection. The next step is to expand this work to Aspergillus in immunocompromised human subjects with real-world infections, making this work directly relevant to patient care.”
Dr. Steinbrink’s approach involves using gene expression data of circulating white blood cells from a simple blood draw to assess how the patient's immune system responds to infection. This non-invasive method not only has the potential to diagnose infections earlier but also allows for longitudinal monitoring of the patient’s immune response, offering a way to track the effectiveness of antifungal treatments over time.
The NIAID funding will provide Dr. Steinbrink with 75% protected research time, allowing her to expand this work over the next five years. By enabling earlier detection and treatment of fungal infections, her research could significantly improve the health outcomes of immunocompromised patients, who are especially vulnerable to these types of infections.
“Immunocompromised patients are at an increased risk of fungal infections that can be fatal,” Dr. Steinbrink said. "Earlier diagnosis leads to earlier treatment, which can make all the difference in improving outcomes and saving lives."
Dr. Steinbrink’s work is guided by a team of distinguished mentors and advisors, including Dr. Micah McClain, her primary mentor, and co-mentors Dr. Barbara Alexander, Dr. Andrew Alspaugh, and Dr. Rachel Myers. She also benefits from the expertise of scientific advisors Dr. Ephraim Tsalik and Dr. Svati Shah. Dr. Steinbrink expressed deep gratitude for their guidance, emphasizing how their support has been crucial to her success in obtaining this funding and moving the project forward.
“I am extremely grateful to my advisory team for their invaluable support,” she said. “This research would not be possible without their mentorship and collaboration.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Steinbrink’s research promises to be a crucial step forward in infectious diseases, particularly for patients at high risk of complications from invasive fungal infections. By developing a noninvasive, host-response-based diagnostic test, Dr. Steinbrink is working to revolutionize how these infections are diagnosed and treated, offering new hope for immunocompromised patients who are particularly vulnerable.