Projects
ENERGISE: nExt-geNEration Rapid phenotypic bacterioloGy dIagnostics for low-reSource and rEmote settings Ghent University
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global threat, particularly in low-resource settings (LRS)
like sub-Saharan Africa. Alas, diagnosing bacterial infections and preventing AMR is hampered by a
lack of feasible diagnostic tests, like blood culture diagnostics. Current methods are exceedingly
complex to implement in the settings where the crisis of AMR is already most acute. To address this,
a partnership between ...
Development of the next generatation Artilysins, enzyme-based antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria Ghent University
This project will boost the development of Artilysins, novel enzyme-based antibiotics that respond to the unmet need for novel antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria. An elegant biotechnological methodology (Golden Gate shuffling) will be integrated to accelerate the creation and analysis of novel candidate Artilysins, and this on a much larger scale than before. After its integration, we will be able to select the most optimized ...
Development of the next generatation Artilysins, enzyme-based antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria KU Leuven
This project will boost the development of Artilysins, novel enzyme-based antibiotics that respond to the unmet need for novel antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria. An elegant biotechnological methodology (Golden Gate shuffling) will be integrated to accelerate the creation and analysis of novel candidate Artilysins, and this on a much larger scale than before. After its integration, we will be able to select the most optimized ...
Effects of veterinary antibiotics on plant-soil interaction, plant performance and plant community composition Vrije Universiteit Brussel
environment, where they affect soil bacteria and the performance of plants and animals. So far, the
basis for environmental risk assessments (ERA) relies on crop species, partly because the phototoxic
ABX-effects on wild species is still insufficiently understood.
We aim to explore ABX-effects on soil processes and on the ...
X-ray crystallographic studies of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase: a target for the development of new antibiotics. KU Leuven
Antibiotics are one of the corner pieces of our healthcare system, as they are at the frontline in the prevention against and treatment of infections with pathogenic bacteria. Unfortunately, the inevitable emergence and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria has hampered their clinical use. Together with a lack of the discovery and development of novel antibacterial classes, the worldwide overconsumption and misusage of the available ...
Mapping the bacterial tolerome: the genetic landscape of evolving multidrug tolerance KU Leuven
Antibiotics have revolutionized medical practice. Soon, however, simple infections will once again kill millions and lead to outrages economic losses. Indeed, antibiotic resistance is on the rise, enabling bacterial growth in the presence of antibiotics. In addition, bacteria can also resort to another defense mechanism, antibiotic tolerance. Bacterial populations, for example, rely on a subset of antibiotic-tolerant persister cells that ...
Protein Aggregates: A Window into Bacterial Antibiotic Tolerance and Dormancy KU Leuven
Millions of people worldwide suffer from long-term bacterial infections that cannot be cured by antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics are often incapable of killing all bacteria in a chronic infection, leaving behind a reservoir of cells from which relapse can occur. Increasing evidence shows that some bacteria survive treatment without the development of resistance. These bacteria, named persisters, are reprogrammed to a temporary ...
Identification of novel inhibitors and activity-based probes for signal peptidase I KU Leuven
Bacterial infections continue to be a threat to the well-being of mankind. As a result, there is a pressing need to find new protein targets for next-generation antibiotics. Bacterial signal peptidase I is an essential serine protease with an unusual catalytic machinery. It is involved in the secretory pathway and is considered a potential future drug target. In this project, we will set up an assay for this protease and screen an in-house ...
Hybrid 'Managed Aquifer Recharge' as an adaptation tool to ensure a resilient and healthy groundwater source KU Leuven
Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) refers to the purposeful recharge of water to aquifers for subsequent recovery, to increase groundwater availability and improve water quality while preventing resource deterioration. During MAR, water is infiltrated through soil and aquifer sediments, improving water quality. Although MAR is an established technology, the underlying microbial, geo-chemical, and hydrological processes during subsurface passage ...