Biosynthesised porphyrin loaded hydrogel for photodynamic therapy of multidrug-resistant Candida albicans in HIV infected patients

Cooperating countries: Ethiopia and Austria

Coordinating institution: Medical University of Graz, Marco Eigenfeld marco.eigenfeld@medunigraz.at 

Partner institution: Mekelle University

Project duration: 1 December 2025 - 30 November 2027

Abstract: 
The global rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens presents a severe public health threat, leading to invasive infections, increased mortality, and substantial healthcare costs. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified Candida albicans, the causative agent of oral candidiasis (OC), as the first fungal priority pathogen. Treating OC in HIV patients remains challenging due to its high relapse rate (30–50%) and drug-resistant biofilm formation, which reduces antifungal efficacy and enables persistent infections. 

There is an urgent need for novel antifungal strategies that prevent drug resistance. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising alternative, generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) to selectively kill microbial cells. However, its clinical use for fungal infections, particularly in immunosuppressed patients, remains underexplored. 

This project aims to develop a recombinant production system for porphyrins and evaluate their efficacy in PDT against drug-resistant Candida albicans isolates from HIV patients in six selected Hospitals, Tigray (Ethiopia). The study will assess porphyrin-PDT’s ability to disrupt biofilm formation and its impact on C. albicans viability and physiology. 

Expected findings will provide critical insights into OC prevalence, porphyrin antifungal activity, and biofilm disruption, contributing to sustainable antifungal strategies. This research supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3, 9 & 17) by improving HIV-related healthcare (SDG 3), promoting biotechnology-driven innovation (SDG 9), and fostering global partnerships and capacity-building for sustainable antifungal strategies (SDG 17).