Clinical mycology

The impact of fungal infections on humans is immense, killing 1.5M people every year, but remaining critically understudied. Invasive fungal disease is a feared complication in cancer and transplant patients with diagnostic difficulties posing a significant challenge to effective management. We are helping to improve patient outcomes by working collaboratively across our partnership and themes to address fungal infections and emerging antifungal resistance.

• Pulmonary aspergillosis in patients with chronic lung disorders affects 650,000 patients in the UK
• Fungal co-infections in patients with severe viral pneumonia such as influenza and COVID-19 is significantly worsening patient outcomes.
• Mucosal yeast infections of the oral cavity and genital tract are common and reduce quality of life for many.

Our aim is to grow substantial capacity in clinical mycology and translate this into patient benefit by taking advantage of the outstanding research being carried out at the University’s Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM). The Centre is one of the largest medical mycology groupings worldwide. Researchers here represent a broad umbrella of expertise, from fundamental research into the biology of fungal pathogens to patient care and translational science.

Our wide-ranging expertise creates unique synergies, facilitating the simultaneous analysis of both the host and pathogen to determine their individual contributions to the pathogenesis of disease.‌ Effective management of fungal infections is hugely challenged by diagnostic difficulties, emerging antifungal resistance and a lack of research which we are helping to address, improving patient outcomes.

Working in collaboration across our partnership and with the University’s Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM) our research focuses on finding diagnosistics and treatments to prevent and manage potentially deadly fungal infections and emerging antifungal resistance.