With the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria, there is a pressing need for new anti-bacterial agents. This project will use an innovative, economical and effective approach known as fragment-based screening to develop lead compounds against established and emerging antibacterial targets. Thanks to recent investments in research infrastructure, it is now feasible to perform screening using X-ray crystallography. Targets include Pseudomonas aeruginosa (an opportunistic pathogen with low antibiotic susceptibility) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (causing pneumonia and other maladies). Newly discovered interactions in the DNA replication machinery of bacteria will also be targeted. These efforts will lead to a new generation of antibiotics.
With the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria, there is a pressing need for new anti-bacterial agents. This project will use an innovative, economical and effective approach known as fragment-based screening to develop lead compounds against established and emerging antibacterial targets. Thanks to recent investments in research infrastructure, it is now feasible to perform screening using X-ray crystallography. Targets include Pseudomonas aeruginosa (an opportunistic pathogen with low antibiotic susceptibility) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (causing pneumonia and other maladies). Newly discovered interactions in the DNA replication machinery of bacteria will also be targeted. These efforts will lead to a new generation of antibiotics.