Prof. Oriol MANUEL

Prof Oriol Manuel trained in internal medicine at the Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge in Barcelona and in infectious diseases at the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV). He did a Clinical Research Fellowship in Transplant Infectious Diseases in Toronto and Edmonton, Canada. Dr Manuel currently works at the Lausanne University Hospital as transplant infectious diseases specialist and clinical research scientist.  

The clinical research program of Dr Manuel is carried out in the context of the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study (STCS) which includes more than 8000 solid-organ transplant (SOT) recipients in Switzerland since 2008. He is actively involved in the STCS as Chair of the STCS Infectious Diseases Working Group, as well as applicant co-investigator for the SNF.

Over the last years Prof Manuel has developed a particular interest in the implementation of pragmatic patient-oriented interventional clinical research aimed at directly improve patient care. He is particularly interested in the prevention and management of two viral pathogens, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and influenza virus, potentially associated with severe complications in transplant recipients.

Prof Manuel is Associate Professor of the University of Lausanne. He is also Associate Editor of the American Journal of Transplantation and Transplant International.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in organ transplantation

Vaccination of immunocompromised patients

Covid-19 and other infectious complications in transplant recipients

CMV in organ transplantation

CMV is the most common viral pathogen after organ transplantation, and it is associated with a high burden of disease in this population. We have published on the epidemiology, prevention strategies, and outcomes of CMV infection in transplant recipients, including on the role of immune monitoring for determine the duration of antiviral prophylaxis. Our group actively participates on the EU-funded HORUS consortium (https://www.horus-project.eu/), a European-wide multidisciplinary clinical, translational, and basic research endeavor for improving our understanding of CMV/host interactions in the context of immunosuppression.

Vaccination of immunocompromised patients

Respiratory viral infections are associated with a more severe clinical presentation and higher risk for complications in SOT recipients. Influenza vaccine is the key preventive strategy against influenza, although its efficacy is reduced in SOT recipients. Our research is focused on the improvement of vaccine immunogenicity by investigating novel vaccination approaches.

Covid-19 and other infectious complications

The ongoing impact of Covid-19 on transplant recipients underscores the need for continued vigilance. Collaborating with all transplant programs at the CHUV, we have extensively documented the outcomes of Covid-19 across different variant eras. During the initial pandemic wave, we contributed as the Swiss representative in the Solidarity trial, a large WHO-sponsored initiative evaluating Covid-19 therapies in hospitalized patients. Additionally, our research extends to other infectious complications post-transplant, including food-borne infections, ECMO-associated infections, and the role of antimicrobial prophylaxis in transplantation settings.