'We need to think big in antibiotics research,' says Cesar de la Fuente. 'Over one million people die every year from drug-resistant infections, and this is predicted to reach 10 million by 2050. There hasn't been a truly new class of antibiotics in decades, and there are so few of us tackling this issue that we need to be thinking about more than just new drugs. We need new frameworks.'
Marrying artificial intelligence with advanced experimental methods, the Machine Biology Group has mined the ancient past for future medical breakthroughs, bringing extinct molecules back to life. Credit: Ella Marushchenko
De la Fuente's lab, the Machine Biology Group, creates these new frameworks using potent partnerships in engineering and thewith advanced experimental methods, the group has mined the ancient past for future medical breakthroughs. In a recent study published ingenetic material —and found dozens of small protein sequences with antibiotic qualities. Their lab then worked to synthesize these molecules, bringing these long-since-vanished chemistries back to life.," says de la Fuente."These are the building blocks of a peptide, a small protein. Then we can make these molecules using a method called 'solid-phase chemical synthesis.' We translate the recipe of amino acids into an actual molecule and then build it.
In fact, the group's previous research had already shown that some of the antimicrobial molecules they found were hidden away, encrypted within proteins associated with completely different systems and functions in the body.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Afghan resettlement scheme letting down families two years after Taliban takeover, think tank saysA minister has admitted the government could have done some things 'differently' on the second anniversary of the fall of Kabul to the extremist group.
Read more »
Don’t know what to thinkI would really appreciate your opinions and advice on my current situation. My partner of 5 years is often calm but he
Read more »
Kate Forbes calls out 'mistruths' from pro-UK think tank boss in GERS rowFORMER finance secretary Kate Forbes has torn into “ridiculous mistruths” from the chief executive of a pro-Union think tank ...
Read more »
EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy regrets her new look: 'I don't feel like myself'We think it looks great!
Read more »
Larian boss says we should think of Baldur's Gate 3's entire first act as the tutorial'If you pay very close attention to Act 1, you will see that it's actually a very long tutorial,' said Larian CEO Swen Vincke on Baldur's Gate 3's trial by fire introduction.
Read more »