Manchester recognised as a centre of excellence for fungal respiratory infections
Important Honour for UHSM and Doctors and Scientists Fighting to Help Patients with Fungal Disease.
The University Hospital of South Manchester (UHSM) is to become the first hospital in the UK and Europe to be recognised as a centre of excellence for the diagnosis and treatment of aspergillosis and other fungal infections.
The inauguration of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) Centre of Excellence scheme is took place at the University Hospital of South Manchester (UHSM) on Wednesday January 11, 2017. The ECMM is the overarching organisation of the National Medical Mycology Societies in Europe and works towards the unification of all European scientists interested in medical issues related to mycology – the scientific study of fungi.
The Mycology Reference Centre Manchester (MRCM) based at The University of Manchester, in partnership with the National Aspergillosis Centre (NAC) at UHSM’s Wythenshawe Hospital, will be the first recipients of this award, which recognises its collaboration in better understanding medical issues related to mycology.
The MRCM, under the leadership of Professor Malcolm Richardson provides a specialist National Health Service Medical Mycology Reference Service to patients throughout the UK and acts as a focus for national and international training and research in Medical Mycology in the UK. The National Aspergillosis Centre (NAC), the first national centre for aspergillosis in the world, is based at Wythenshawe Hospital. This service, led by Professor David Denning, benefits patients across the UK, by building on the extensive expertise in chronic fungal lung infections with sophisticated laboratory support provided by the MRCM.
Professor Richardson said: “While there have been some significant improvements in diagnostic tests and therapeutic choices for fungal diseases over the last 15 years, access to appropriate diagnostics and treatment is far from universal within Europe and globally. In many countries inadequate expertise in clinical management and diagnostic capability are major issues that need to be addressed.
The network of ECMM Centres of Excellence will direct clinicians, patients, and their relatives to an appropriate and capable centre that can provide advice and training. We are delighted and honoured that Manchester is to be the first.
Professor Denning said: “This partnership has allowed expansion of our clinical and research capabilities which provides us with us with a strong base to collaborate with other European Centres of Excellence and beyond. Both centres contribute to The University of Manchester Masters programme in Medical Mycology and are integrated into the Manchester Fungal Infection Network alongside the Manchester Fungal Infection Group, which carries out basic and applied research on a variety of fungal pathogens. A variety of on-line resources provided by the first ECMM Centre of Excellence include a wealth of educational and training materials.”