General Content Modern

June 9, 2025 – Recent research led by Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the University of Washington explores how harnessing patients’ own immune cells can help develop targeted monoclonal antibodies against Pseudomonas infections, opening new potential avenues for treatment and prevention.

What are Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and why are they a concern?

Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are a serious threat to human health worldwide, causing severe infections, especially in those with serious conditions like cystic fibrosis (CF). They are increasingly resistant to many antibiotics.

What are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and why are they important in treating infections?
Malika Hale, on a University of Washington School of Medicine clinical rotation in Juneau, Alaska.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a promising alternative or novel addition to antibiotics for treating Pseudomonas infections. Researchers from Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the University of Washington recently shared promising results from a study using B cells from people with CF to craft monoclonal antibodies to fight lung infections.

Produced by the immune system’s B cells, monoclonal antibodies are tiny molecules designed to recognize and neutralize germs. This process starts with an initial exposure to the disease-causing pathogen, which allows the body to learn how to produce the antibodies against the target. As a result, a dedicated population of B cells, called memory B cells, carry the genetic sequences necessary to ultimately produce pathogen-specific antibodies.

Successful monoclonal therapies, such as the ones developed for COVID-19, typically rely on human sequences from individuals who have recovered from infection. Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Malika Hale, a University of Washington MD-PhD student in the Medical Scientist Training Program and part of the Rawlings Lab in the Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, and colleagues sought to design new mAbs for Pseudomonas using a similar approach.