Elke Seppanen
Program Manager, Bacterial Respiratory Infectious Disease Group
BSc PhD
elke.seppanen@thekids.org.au
Dr Elke Seppanen is Program Manager of the Bacterial Respiratory Disease Group (BRIDG) at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, based at The Kids Research Institute Australia. Dr Seppanen brings over 20 years of research experience, ranging from discovery science to clinical trials. Her PhD in stem cell research and extensive experience in immunology, cell and molecular biology and clinical lab coordination gained from previous post-doctoral, research assistant and lab management positions have proved invaluable for her work at BRIDG.
In her role as Program Manager, Dr Seppanen supports the team’s vision to reduce the global burden of ear and lung disease through discovery, translation and collaboration. She also contributes to the team’s research program which aims to investigate the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases to contribute to the development of improved preventative therapies and treatments for pneumococcal and Haemophilus Influenzae diseases.
Dr Seppanen published a pivotal paper with the team which identified that children with a specific bacterium present in their middle ear at the time of grommet insertion were three times more likely to need repeat grommet surgery.
With a two-pronged approach, the BRIDG team are working on ways to prevent this bacterium from causing disease and developing new strategies to target the bacteria in the middle ear to prevent reinfection and repeat surgery.
Projects
Healthy Ears Clinical Trial: A telehealth-facilitated randomised-controlled trial utilising a health promotion intervention to resolve otitis media with effusion for children won specialist Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) waiting lists
A telehealth-facilitated randomised-controlled trial utilising a health promotion intervention to resolve otitis media with effusion for children won specialist Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) waiting lists
Pathogens on the rise: is impaired immunity the cause of chronic ear and chest infections?
A systems biology approach to determining the risk for development of otitis media
Does mum know best? Should we be vaccinating mothers to protect their babies from ear and lung disease?
A Phase 3, Randomized, Observer-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Group-Sequential Study to Determine the Immunogenicity and Safety of a Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) F Nanoparticle Vaccine with Aluminium in Healthy Third-trimester Pregnant Women; and Safety
PneumoWA: A case-control study of the role of viral and bacterial pathogens in causing pneumonia among Western Australian children
TESTOV Pneumo
July 2020
Published research
Nasal Delivery of Haemophilus haemolyticus Is Safe, Reduces Influenza Severity, and Prevents Development of Otitis Media in Mice
Despite vaccination, influenza and otitis media (OM) remain leading causes of illness. We previously found that the human respiratory commensal Haemophilus haemolyticus prevents bacterial infection in vitro and that the related murine commensal Muribacter muris delays OM development in mice. The observation that M muris pretreatment reduced lung influenza titer and inflammation suggests that these bacteria could be exploited for protection against influenza/OM.
An infant mouse model of influenza-driven nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae colonization and acute otitis media suitable for preclinical testing of novel therapies
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a major otitis media (OM) pathogen, with colonization a prerequisite for disease development. Most acute OM is in children <5 years old, with recurrent and chronic OM impacting hearing and learning. Therapies to prevent NTHi colonization and/or disease are needed, especially for young children. Respiratory viruses are implicated in driving the development of bacterial OM in children.
Safety, tolerability, and effect of a single aural dose of Dornase alfa at the time of ventilation tube surgery for otitis media: A Phase 1b double randomized control trial
One third of children require repeat ventilation tube insertion (VTI) for otitis media. Disease recurrence is associated with persistent middle ear bacterial biofilms. With demonstration that Dornase alfa (a DNase) disrupts middle ear effusion biofilms ex vivo, we identified potential for this as an anti-biofilm therapy to prevent repeat VTI. First, safety and tolerability needed to be measured.
Biofilms and intracellular infection in otitis media
Otitis media (OM), middle ear infection, represents a significant burden on children, their families, and the healthcare system. OM is the major cause of hearing loss in children and if left untreated in children who suffer chronic and recurrent forms of OM, this disease can have serious life-long sequelae.
Evidence of maternal transfer of antigen-specific antibodies in serum and breast milk to infants at high-risk of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae disease
Children in low-mid income countries, and First Nations children in high-income countries, experience disproportionately high rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae infections and diseases including pneumonia and otitis media.
Australian Aboriginal Otitis-Prone Children Produce High-Quality Serum IgG to Putative Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae Vaccine Antigens at Lower Titres Compared to Non-Aboriginal Children
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is the most common bacterial otopathogen associated with otitis media (OM). NTHi persists in biofilms within the middle ears of children with chronic and recurrent OM. Australian Aboriginal children suffer exceptionally high rates of chronic and recurrent OM compared to non-Aboriginal children.
Differences in Pneumococcal and Haemophilus influenzae Natural Antibody Development in Papua New Guinean Children in the First Year of Life
Development of vaccines to prevent disease and death from Streptococcus pneumoniae, and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), the main pathogens that cause otitis media, pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis, are a global priority.
Education/Qualifications
- 2010 – 2013 PhD School of Medicine, University of Queensland
- 2004 BSc Honours, University of Queensland
- 1999 – 2001 BSc, University of Queensland
Awards/Honours
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Training Scholarship (2019)
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Training Scholarship (2018)
- Friends of the Institute Travel Award (2013)
- Best post-doctoral presentation, Perth Immunology Group (2013)
- UQCCR PhD Scholarship, University of Queensland (2012)
- Beckman Coulter Travel Award, University of Queensland (2011)
- Faculty of Health “Three Minute Thesis” finalist, University of Queensland (2010)
Active Collaborations
- Dr Michael Binks and Prof Ross Andrews at Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin