From Geology to the Medical Field: REVERSE’s Sascha Serno

“After a research career to postdoctoral level in Germany, the U.S. and UK, I am now working as a project manager in the UK and Switzerland, with administrative and technical responsibilities, since 2017. I have managed the administrative, financial and communication aspects of an EU-funded project in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering before, and I am looking forward to my first experience supporting research work in the medical field within REVERSE”.

Sascha is responsible for the general project administration and finance management for the coordinator as well as for the entire REVERSE consortium, including budget planning and controlling, event management and reporting. Together with the UMC Utrecht, he is leading the communication activities of REVERSE for a wider audience.

REVERSE – different studies within a study

“The REVERSE project is actually a series of studies within a study.

We do not only explore, develop and validate three complementary intervention programs for prevention and management of infections due to antimicrobial resistant (AMR) pathogens, a microbiology and diagnostic stewardship, an infection prevention and control, and an antibiotic stewardship program – each known for itself to contribute to the reduction of the clinical and public health burden of AMR. We are also thriving to introduce these clinical interventions programs into routine practice in countries with high AMR prevalence settings with a dedicated implementation program and a novel health-economic framework based on the data gained from the clinical study.

Our goal is long term sustainability beyond the lifecycle of REVERSE to making our involved study hospitals reference centers in their respective countries to support national networks, and by integrating relevant national societies and major international stakeholders in healthcare in the process of dissemination”.

“My favorite part of my job is the variety of tasks that I have to deal with: I am dealing with general administrative and financial questions and issues, I am organizing different types of events, and I am communicating REVERSE activities to a wide range of stakeholders and audiences. Every day at work is a bit different, and this is the way I like to work and how you can further develop your own skills and gain a lot of experiences in different tasks”.

REVERSE and COMBACTE/ Ecraid

Sascha sees the collaboration of REVERSE with COMBACTE and later Ecraid via multiple avenues.

“First, REVERSE will conduct the clinical studies in several hospitals and institutions linked to COMBACTE CLIN-Net. The communication leads of both REVERSE and COMBACTE and Ecraid are closely collaborating to share the news and new developments in the different programs in their established and foreseen communication channels. REVERSE-organized events such as the REVERSE conference open to participants from outside the REVERSE consortium will also be a good platform to promote the activities in COMBACTE and Ecraid.