Omics-guided precision medicine: Microbiomics and breathomics in asthma phenotyping

Research output: PhD ThesisPhd-Thesis - Research and graduation internal

Abstract

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease that presents with multiple clinical manifestations (phenotypes) with variable severities and treatment responses. It remains unclear whether high throughput omics could play a role in asthma phenotypic assessment. The objective of this thesis is to explore the value of omics, particularly the sputum microbiome and the exhaled breath metabolome, in asthma phenotyping using advanced statistical approaches. Part 1 is an introduction to the thesis exploring the importance of asthma precision medicine and the associations of different omics with asthma characteristics. Part 2 highlights the microbiota role in understanding and phenotyping asthma. The studies have shown that the sputum microbiome may play a role in refining the therapeutically challenging neutrophilic asthma phenotype. In this part, we have also shown that combining multiple omics provide more insight into the pathophysiology of asthma disease. Part 3 highlights the role of exhaled breath profiling by eNose in phenotyping and monitoring patients with asthma. The studies have shown that the eNose could serve as a non-invasive tool in screening the atopic asthma phenotype and may allow longitudinal monitoring of patients with asthma. Part 2 and Part 3 have shown the promising value of using omics in phenotyping patients with asthma, which may allow targeting diagnostic and therapeutic decisions to the individual patients' needs. Part 4 is a general discussion of the thesis, in which we have addressed the limitations and the general challenges in applying omics, particularly the microbial and the exhaled breath profiles, in the clinical decision-making process.
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
Awarding Institution
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Maitland-van der Zee, Anke H., Supervisor
  • Kraneveld, A.D., Supervisor, External person
  • Neerincx, Anne H., Co-supervisor
  • Vijverberg, Susanne, Co-supervisor
Award date19 Jan 2022
Print ISBNs9789493270237
Publication statusPublished - 2022

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