Penta Working Groups (for Penta ID Network members only)

• Co-chairs: Anna Turkova, Jeannie Collins
• Coordinator: Luca Stona

The HIV and Viral Hepatitis Working Group’s overall aim for HIV research is to contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG-3) of ending HIV/AIDS by 2030. For pregnant people, newborns (preterm and term), infants, children and adolescents living with HIV, the Working Group aims to contribute to this goal by generating evidence on how to optimise treatment of HIV, including advanced disease and HIV cure strategies, as well as prevent infections in infants born to people living with HIV. For children who are HIV/ART exposed uninfected, the Working Group will improve the evidence base on the natural history and potential interventions, to improve outcomes.

The Working Group’s overall aim for pregnancy and paediatric viral hepatitis is to contribute to the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. One key aspect will be to evaluate the implementation of the 2024/25 WHO hepatitis B guidelines and assess promising new treatment options for viral hepatitis in childhood.

Goals:

• Contribute to the development of child-friendly, safe and effective HIV treatment​
• Optimise HIV clinical management​
• Investigate longer term HIV health outcomes, using real world data​
• Contribute to advancing HIV cure research​
• Define research gaps and interventions for children HIV-exposed uninfected (CHEU)​
• Advance on paediatric HIV cure strategies
• Optimise prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis

• Co-chairs: Adilia Warris, Angela Dramowski
• Coordinator: Kruna Krstic

The overall aim for the Serious Bacterial and Fungal Infections Working Group, in the context of increasing antimicrobial resistance, is to contribute to improved prevention and management of these infections in infants and children. The focus is on neonatal (preterm and term) and paediatric sepsis, invasive fungal infections in at risk populations as well as other severe bacterial and fungal infections requiring inpatient treatment (e.g. pneumonia).

This will be achieved by assessing management approaches and specific treatments as well as evaluating Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) strategies.

Goals:

• Improve the evidence base for the antimicrobial management of neonatal and paediatric severe bacterial and fungal infections
• Improve the evidence base for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) programmes in neonates and children
• Deliver training and education to support diagnosis, treatment and prevention of severe bacterial and fungal infections in neonates and children, in collaboration with the Training & Education WG

• Co-chairs: Alfredo Tagarro, Tisungane Mvalo
• Coordinator: Giulio Vecchia

The aim for the Respiratory Infections Working Group is to improve prevention and management of high burden respiratory pathogens or those with epidemic potential for pregnant people, infants, children and adolescents. Infections of interest include RSV, TB and influenza. The working group aims to promote development of new medicinal products for both prevention and treatment.

TB research will focus on diagnostics and on better management for children, including dose evaluation of new drugs for treating all types of TB and TB-HIV co-infection.

Goals:

• Assess the effectiveness and cost of RSV prevention measures (bNAbs, vaccines)
• Develop and test combination vaccines covering multiple viral antigens (hMPV, influenza, RSV, parainfluenza)
• Develop cheap and rapid point of care tests that differentiate bacterial, viral and other infections
• Advocate for accelerating the pipeline of drugs and formulations for children
• Conduct trials for improved diagnosis of tuberculosis (PoC tests and tools, including TB-LAM) and shorter, better treatments for TB, MDR-TB, co-infection with HIV and prevention 

• Co-chair: Catherine Wedderburn
• Coordinator: Giorgia Dalla Valle

The Congenital and Perinatal Infections Working Group aims to improve prevention and treatment of infections for which there are severe and often lifelong health consequences (e.g. CMV, syphilis, Zika, HTLV1). The focus is on prevention of vertical acquisition, as well as management when infection does occur. A further research area is how congenital and perinatal infections influence the developing immune system.

Goals:

• Conduct and support impactful research on prevention of vertical transmission of infections of public health importance 
• Generate evidence on optimisation of treatment and management of infants with congenital infections (CMV, syphilis, etc) 
• Explore how congenital infections and/or maternal vaccination influence the developing immune system in infants.

Basic Science

• Co-chairs: Al Ozonoff, Nicola Cotugno
• Coordinator: Michele Gardini

The Basic Science Working Group will establish a distributed network of laboratories capable of performing omics techniques and analysing bioinformatics data to support studies.

Goals:

• Establish a network of basic science laboratory which includes expertise across a number of fields including proteomics, transcriptomics, genomics, and bioinformatics​
• Contribute to Penta funding applications where there are opportunities for basic and translational science
• Initiate a cross-network educational programme in basic and translational science, including trainings, workshops, and opportunities to support PhD students and Early Career Researchers on Penta research studies, in collaboration with the Training & Education WG
• Develop industry partnerships to support funding applications, education and training, and the laboratory capabilities of the Penta network

• Co-chairs: Eric Decloedt, Tim Cressey
• Coordinator: Alessandra Nardone

The Clinical Pharmacology Working Group will contribute expertise to studies across the Penta infections areas to ensure safe and effective dosing of treatment for infections in pregnancy and paediatrics. This includes incorporating dose finding and/or simplification studies within late phase trials where appropriate.

Goals:

• Increase neonatal pharmacology activities
• Formalise cross-links with other WGs​ to identify opportunities for new pharmaocology studies
• Evolve leadership of the Working Group

• Co-chairs: Steve Welch, Alasdair Bamford
• Coordinator: Valeria Bajura

The Education and Training Working Group will deliver training courses across a wide range of geographic areas and scientific topics, in line with the priority themes of other Working Groups.

Goals:

• Identify new funding sources to maintain and diversify the training programme
• Maintain the Penta training programmes on HIV and viral hepatitis, fungal infection, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), and develop impact assessment for each area 
• Involve Young People and new trainers in the design and delivery of the training courses

• Co-chairs: Costanza Di Chiara, Lisanne Bevers
• Coordinator: Matteo Bason

An Early Career Researcher (ECR) is a Penta ID Network member who is either undertaking a PhD (or equivalent professional training) or is a researcher within seven years from the date of their first research-related appointment, minus eligible delays in research. The Early Career Researchers Working Group will support the development of ECRs within the Network to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Goals:

• Identify training needs and opportunities for all ECRs in the network
• Support career development through the mentorship programme, the participation in Penta Working Groups and proposals writing
• Sustain the ECR platform for idea sharing through dedicated webinars (Penta ECR Café) and sessions at Penta’s meetings