The Irresistables

Intensive use of antibiotics over the last 70 years has resulted in widespread antibiotic resistance in microorganisms. The most efficient and rapidly-evolving cause of antibiotic resistance in bacteria are the metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs): metal-dependent enzymes that rapidly degrade antibiotics, including last-resort drugs.

Effective inhibition of MBLs is a key objective of global health care to fight against antimicrobial resistance, but no clinically-useful inhibitors of MBLs are currently known. In this project, we aim to develop a platform for identifying and developing MBL inhibitors for fast and effective development of treatments with prolonged efficacy, and low toxicity, to combat resistance.