Beta-lactams (BL) remain among the most frequently prescribed antimicrobials, especially for
patients in intensive care units (ICU), although their use is threatened by increased antimicrobial
resistance and the lack of new molecules. The unique pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics
(PD) of ICU patients lead to unpredictable and variable concentrations, and hence, to poor outcomes.
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is of indisputable value for improving ICU patient care, and the
clinical demand for TDM is consistently increasing. However, several challenges are limiting the global
adoption of BL TDM by the clinical laboratories i.e. the inherent instability of BL in biological fluids
and the lack of a standard and fast bio-analytical method to measure the unbound (for highly protein
bound BL) and total BL concentrations. To optimally use TDM in a strategy of PKPD driven therapy we
need to have accurate, fast, and reliable measurement of (unbound) BL concentrations. In this
project, we tackle these challenges and provide solutions to fully unlock the potential of TDM of BL.
We will develop strategies to enhance stability of BL in serum/plasma and shorten turnaround time of
BL TDM result reporting (using automatization and biosensors). This will facilitate individualised
antimicrobial dosing, also in the early phase of infection, and provide added value to the more
computerised tools, such as model-informed precision dosing (MIPD)