Dengue infection ranges from mild fever to life-threatening hemorrhagic shock, yet there is still no dedicated antiviral treatment, and vaccine use remains limited. Early diagnosis and accurate prediction of disease progression are paramount to improving patient outcomes. However, no reliable biomarkers for severe dengue have been identified to date. To address this gap, the Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology-BRIN, EHI, and the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) are collaborating to uncover key processes and potential biomarkers associated with dengue severity.
As part of this effort, EHI researcher Denis, M.S., along with Dr. Tedjo Sasmono from BRIN, visited the laboratory of Prof. Diana Hansen at Monash BDI in Melbourne, Australia, from August 16 to 24, 2025. During the visit, Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell (PBMC) samples from dengue patients were studied using advanced systems immunology approaches, including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and Cytometry by Time of Flight (CyTOF). The visit also provided hands-on training in data analysis techniques, including dimensionality reduction and clustering. Looking ahead, the teams plan to refine laboratory protocols to improve cell recovery and explore alternative cell sorting strategies. This collaboration marks a significant step toward early diagnosis and improved clinical management of severe dengue.
