Research

Research into encephalitis and meningitis is incredibly important. To prevent this life-threatening disease, to understand why some people get it and others don’t, how a doctor can recognize it quickly and how specialists can come to an optimal treatment (so that damage to the brain can be minimized).

To share knowledge in this field as quickly as possible, it is crucial that academic research institutions from home and abroad cooperate as much as possible. That is what we go for and stand for!

And we interpret this cooperation broadly. We look for substantive collaborations, but also for partners who want to co-invest. Meanwhile, a number of studies are running which, in addition to ItsME Foundation as main sponsor, have also been made possible by Vermas Foundation and W.M. de Hoop foundation.

Currently, four academic institutions are involved in the studies currently taking place (Dutch and American). And we are continuing. Orientation talks with new institutes/initiatives are in full swing.

We also have a desire to develop a roadmap for the next 15-20 years that can give all academic institutions direction on what information/insights are still missing to get to the bottom of this disease.

Will you help us achieve our mission?

All donations are very welcome.

Do you have a research proposal?

Mail it to info@istme-foundation.com, we will submit it to our Scientific Advisory Board.

INVOLVED ACADEMIC CENTERS

Amsterdam UMC
Erasmus MC
National Institutes of Health
UCSD Medical Center

Ongoing research

Team Amsterdam UMC in collaboration with National Institute of Health USA, under supervision of Prof. Dr. Diederik van de Beek

Researching whether the same Covid-19 mechanism of neutralizing autoantibodies, might be at work in patients with pneumococcal meningitis.

Also supported by Vermas Foundation.

Team Amsterdam UMC in collaboration with UC San Diego under supervision of Prof. Dr. Nina van Sorge

Researching whether the effect of antibiotics based on standard laboratory assays maybe underestimated with the risk that effective treatment of bacterial meningitis is withheld from the patient.

Team Erasmus MC under supervision of Dr. Maarten Titulaer

Applying a new and promising technique (HuScan) in patients with autoimmune encephalitis with or without prior viral encephalitis, to search for new antibodies that cause encephalitis or influence the severity.

Also supported by W.M. De Hoop Stichting.