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Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center University of Florida
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Research Overview

Research

Research Overview

Project 1: SPIES — Stratifying Patient Immune Endotypes in Sepsis

Project 2: Abnormal Myelopoiesis Drives Chronic Critical Illness in Severe Trauma, Sepsis, and COVID-19

Project 3: Premature Neonates Are at High Risk of Sepsis

Project 4: Cognitive Decline in Elderly Patients Who Survive Sepsis

Research

The University of Florida Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center (SCIRC) is the first center of its kind in the nation dedicated to studying long-term outcomes in patients treated for sepsis at UF Health Shands Hospital’s surgical and trauma intensive care units. Our goal is to develop clinical solutions for sepsis, as well as for the illnesses that stem from it and their enduring effects.

Research Focus: Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center (SCIRC)

(Updated October 2025)

The Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center at the University of Florida leads multidisciplinary investigations into the biology of sepsis and the long-term effects of critical illness. Our work bridges basic science, translational models, and clinical studies to define mechanisms that underlie chronic inflammation, immune suppression, and organ dysfunction following severe infection, trauma, and COVID-19.

Our current research program builds upon discoveries from the RM1, MIRA, and T32 training initiatives and reflects recent publications in Nature Medicine, Genome Medicine, Molecular Medicine, and NeuroImage. Together, these studies demonstrate that recovery from critical illness is not simply a matter of surviving the ICU; it involves profound and persistent immune, metabolic, and cognitive changes.

Current Areas of Investigation

1. Immune Dysregulation and Myelopoietic Reprogramming in Sepsis

Our investigators are uncovering how sepsis alters bone marrow output and myeloid differentiation, leading to the expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) that perpetuate immune suppression and chronic inflammation.

A recent Nature Medicine study established a consensus immune dysregulation framework for sepsis and critical illness, offering a shared language for precision immunotherapy. Ongoing RM1 research integrates transcriptomic, epigenetic, and metabolic profiling to identify molecular drivers of pathological myelopoiesis and potential therapeutic targets.

2. Extracellular Vesicle (EV) Signaling and Trained Immunity

Building on studies in both humans and mouse models, SCIRC investigators are characterizing how extracellular vesicles carry alarmins and reprogram immune responses after trauma and burn injury.

Our 2025 bioRxiv preprint demonstrated temporal changes in EV protein cargo that reshape immune phenotypes after burn injury. These findings inform strategies to counteract maladaptive “trained immunity” that sustains chronic critical illness.

3. Microbiome and Metabolic Health After Critical Illness

Our teams are exploring how the gut microbiome and metabolic rewiring affect inflammation, recovery, and resilience.

A Genome Medicine study demonstrated microbiome-based therapeutics for healthier aging and longevity, underscoring host–microbe crosstalk in post-sepsis recovery. Experimental models further show that beta-blockade therapy enhances microbiome diversity and may mitigate chronic inflammation, as reported in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery (2025).

4. Cognitive and Neurological Sequelae of Sepsis

Using advanced neuroimaging and behavioral models, SCIRC investigators are identifying how sepsis and systemic inflammation disrupt brain connectivity and cognition.

NeuroImage publications reveal sex-dependent alterations in cortical and striatal networks following sepsis and validate these findings through longitudinal imaging. Translational collaborations connect these findings to clinical studies on cognitive decline in older sepsis survivors and Alzheimer’s disease risk.

5. Innate Immune Training and Developmental Vulnerabilities

Our research into neonatal and aging immunity examines why these populations experience higher sepsis risk and worse outcomes.

A Molecular Medicine study demonstrated that innate immune training shapes neonatal responses to sepsis, identifying developmental windows for immune intervention.

6. Translational Therapeutics and Precision Medicine

SCIRC partners with national consortia to translate immunologic insights into clinical trials.

Scientific Reports (2025) detailed the use of ELISpot assays to evaluate immunomodulatory drug efficacy in sepsis. Collaborative studies, including the JCI Insight clinical trial of IL-7 therapy in critically ill COVID-19 patients, are advancing precision immunotherapy for sepsis and related syndromes.

Looking Forward

Through multidisciplinary collaboration across five UF Colleges, SCIRC continues to define the biological foundations of chronic critical illness and to pioneer interventions that restore immune and organ homeostasis.

Our mission is to transform the long-term trajectory of sepsis survivors by improving not only survival, but also quality of life.

Recent Publications

(Select 2024–2025 publications involving SCIRC investigators)

  • A Consensus Immune Dysregulation Framework for Sepsis and Critical Illnesses. Nature Medicine, 2025.
  • Microbiome-based Therapeutics Towards Healthier Aging and Longevity. Genome Medicine, 2025.
  • Innate Immune Training in the Neonatal Response to Sepsis. Molecular Medicine, 2025.
  • Functional Connectivity Within Sensorimotor Cortical and Striatal Regions Is Regulated by Sepsis in a Sex-Dependent Manner. NeuroImage, 2025.
  • Determining Potential Immunomodulatory Drug Efficacy in Sepsis Using ELISpot. Scientific Reports, 2025.
  • Temporal Changes in the Protein Cargo of Extracellular Vesicles and Resultant Immune Reprogramming After Severe Burn Injury. bioRxiv preprint, 2025.
  • Nonselective Beta Blockade Enhances Gut Microbiome Diversity in a Rodent Model of Trauma, Hemorrhage, and Chronic Stress. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 2025.
  • A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of IL-7 in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19. JCI Insight, 2025.

Research Volunteer Opportunities

To get involved and participate in our research as a healthy control volunteer, please visit the
Healthy Control Volunteer Recruitment page:
https://scirc.med.ufl.edu/2024/07/01/get-involved-participate-in-research-healthy-control-recruitment/

You may also contact us by email at:
SRG-SCIRC@ad.ufl.edu