Working group

Antibiotics screening and hit generation

Short description

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 substances to ascertain the starting points for drug development. In order to find lead compounds and candidates for clinical development, the researchers optimise active substances using medicinal chemistry and also profile them biologically, both in vitro and in vivo. Currently, they are supporting projects in the research areas "Community-Acquired Infections at Mucosal Interfaces", "Infections of the Immunocompromised Host", "Novel Antibiotics" and "Tuberculosis".

Research areas
Novel Antibiotics
Institutions
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research
Partner Sites
Hannover - Braunschweig
Contact person

Publications of the working group

All publications

Articles on the working group

Agarplatte mit Bakterienkolonien

Scientists sound the alarm over lack of antibiotics

According to the WHO, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the ten greatest threats to global health. In the EU alone, around 35,000 people die every year from antibiotic-resistant infections. The
The image shows a highly magnified electron micrograph of several oval, slightly rough Escherichia coli bacterial cells. The colour of the image is a reddish tone. The background is dark and highlights the bacteria.
© HZI

Chemical trick activates antibiotic directly at the pathogen

Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic that is usually only used for severe infections with resistant bacteria. This is due to its severe kidney-damaging side effects, which occur in around 30 percent