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PATHFINDER
Precision diagnostics for infectious diseases: Integrating mNGS and host factors to guide individualized treatment
Integrating rapid metagenomic sequencing with the body's own immune response biomarkers to diagnose central nervous system and respiratory infections faster and treat them smarter.
Project descpription
Timely and accurate diagnosis of central nervous system and respiratory infections remains challenging and may result in delayed or suboptimal treatment. The PATHFINDER project aims to develop an integrated diagnostic approach that combines rapid nanopore-based metagenomic sequencing (mNGS) for pathogen detection with host-response biomarkers that provide insight into the patient's immune response.
By integrating information on both the pathogen and the host response, the approach may enable more accurate diagnosis and support earlier, more precise treatment decisions. The project will develop and evaluate this approach in Norwegian hospitals, establish collaborative diagnostic networks, and assess its clinical and health-economic impact.
Our approach - four work packages
The study uses a multi work package (WP) design:
Adapt and validate nanopore mNGS for same-day detection of RNA and DNA pathogens directly from clinical samples (CSF, BAL, sputum or blood). Prospective study diagnostic accuracy study at Ahus and Innlandet Hospital, Trondheim and Vestre Viken Drammen Hospital.
State-of-the-art identification and validation of host response biomarkers (Including, but not limited to: IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, CRP, procalcitonin, heparin-binding protein etc.) in CSF and blood using Luminex multiplex immunoassays. Evaluate diagnostic improvement beyond mNGS alone.
Establish internal and external diagnostic networks across Norwegian clinical microbiology laboratories. Build collaborative networks drawing on Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS) and CCMID models. Develop harmonized protocols for sequencing, sample handling, and bioinformatic analysis.
Compare conventional vs. mNGS-enhanced diagnostic pathways across laboratory costs, personnel time, and downstream resource use. Ahus as model site for national scale-up.
Network
PATHFINDER is embedded in a strong national and international networks.
NorPreM — Norwegian National Network for Personalized Medicine norprem.no
RespiraNet — National research network for respiratory infection diagnosis and treatment respiranet.w.uib.no
VARG—Vestre Viken Airway infections Research group vestreviken.no
ESCMID ESGMD — ESCMID Study Group for Genomic and Molecular Diagnostics escmid.org/esgmd
CCMID — Consortium for Clinical Metagenomics in Infectious Diseases ccmid.ca
Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS) — National precision medicine initiative, Microbiology section genomicmedicine.se
News
Find the latest updates related to the project and team members.
September 22, 2026: Fall Meeting at Drammen Hospital
August 01, 2026: PROSPERO registration submitted for CNS infection biomarker systematic review
August 14, 2026: PATHFINDER PhD student appointed - Mathias Lundberg
May 20, 2026: Spring Meeting Drammen Hospital
May 01, 2026: PATHFINDER postdoctoral researcher 2 starts at Ahus – Kushi Kushekhar
