About MUCOR-ADVANCE
Our Mission
MUCOR-ADVANCE is a multidisciplinary Research Unit dedicated to ADVANCING risk stratification, diagnosis, and management of mucormycosis (MCM). MCM is a frequently lethal fungal infection that primarily affects immunocompromised individuals, including those with diabetes, cancer, or those who have undergone organ transplants. With mortality rates ranging from 50% to nearly 100% in severe cases, there is an urgent need for the innovative research and clinical breakthroughs our program provides. Our MissionOur overarching goal is to transform the "bench-to-bedside" pipeline for MCM treatment. By moving away from traditional "silo-based" research, MUCOR-ADVANCE uses a coordinated, integrated approach to identify key fungal and host factors that drive the disease. Our goals are:
​
-
Develop rapid and effective diagnostic assays to inform early treatment.
-
Identify novel biomarkers for accurate prognostic risk stratification.
-
Develop innovative, personalized therapeutic strategies that target both the pathogen and the host’s immune response.
Multi-disciplinary Research
​
-
Project 1: Fungal Biology
-
Investigates unique Mucorales toxins (such as mucoricin and sphingotoxin) and invasins (CotH proteins) to develop new immunotherapies and a rapid, PCR-free diagnostic assay.
-
​
-
Project 2: Host Biology & Immunometabolics
-
Explores how metabolic abnormalities, such as low albumin or high iron, dampen the immune response. This project identifies novel metabolic host defenses, such as albumin-bound free fatty acids, to reverse immune defects.
-
-
Project 3: Translational Immunobiology
-
Focuses on identifying "immune paralysis" in patients and testing FDA-approved non-cellular immunomodulators (like checkpoint inhibitors and cytokines) as part of a multimodal treatment approach.​
Research Cores
Genomic/Transcriptomic Core:
​
Utilizes dual-species bulk and single-cell RNA-seq to simultaneously monitor host and fungal gene expression during infection.
Clinical Core:
Manages an unprecedented prospective biobank of human specimens (blood, tissue, and fungal isolates) to validate laboratory findings in real-world clinical contexts.
​
Administrative Core:
Ensures seamless communication, data sharing, and collaboration across all participating institutions
Our Strength
The investigators of MUCOR-ADVANCE are world leaders in MCM research who have collaborated for over two decades. By integrating clinical data with cutting-edge basic science, we are committed to improving outcomes for patients facing this devastating disease
Looking to collaborate
Get in touch so we can start working together.
