Novel Antibiotics

Prof. Dr. Marc P. Hübner aims to identify new drug candidates against parasitic threadworms, so-called filariae, and developing them further for human use. To this end, new in vitro and in vivo models are being developed and identified candidates are being tested in clinical trials in humans. With oxfendazole and [...]

Dr. Ute Klarmann-Schulz’s research group’s objective is to support the transition of new anti-infective agent candidates from preclinical into clinical phases of development, and to ensure that the first clinical trials run as smoothly as possible. In the field of preclinical development, the junior research group is involved in advancing [...]

Mark Brönstrup’s research group aims to identify and optimise new antibacterial and antiviral agents. They therefore test collections of various compounds using newly developed assay systems and are expanding the DZIF infrastructure in collaboration with the European network EU OPENSCREEN. In addition, they use rational design approaches and explore natural [...]

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the global emergence of antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to human health. In light of this, it is of utmost importance that new agents and target sites for drugs are identified. Once new lead compounds have been identified, the active [...]

Medicinal chemistry, also termed medical chemistry, researches chemical properties of new and old agents and develops innovative therapy options. Ralph Holl’s research group focuses on manufacturing and/or designing new inhibitors: small molecules that specifically target metabolic pathways in bacteria and consequently act as antibiotics. Meanwhile, a large number of 3D [...]

Alexander Titz’s research group focuses on biofilms, which is a slimy layer that bacteria produce to physically protect themselves against the immune system and against antibiotics. For example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a dreaded hospital pathogen, is a member of this group of bacteria and uses biofilm to protect itself against [...]

The majority of successful antibiotics are derived from microorganisms and the potential of finding new agents in this group is yet to be exploited. Using genome sequencing, scientists have frequently discovered gene clusters with potential antibiotic activity. However, synthesis does not occur under laboratory conditions. Computer-based genome mining analysis, developed [...]

Ulrich Nübel’s group investigates the biosynthetic potential of myxobacteria and other groups of bacteria by means of genome analysis. State-of the art sequencing methods and comprehensive calculation capacities are available for this purpose at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ. The group has already completed numerous genome sequences and bioinformatical analyses confirm [...]

Professor Marc Stadler’s research group examines cultures of rare types of fungi and bacteria, predominantly from tropical regions, for their potential to develop new antibiotic substances. Thanks to international partnerships, these substances are isolated, identified and subsequently transferred to the DZIF’s Natural Compound Library. They are therefore made available to [...]