Breaking the membrane permeability barrier for antimicrobials in Gram-negative bacteria

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in rates of antibiotic resistance in healthcare and community settings. Resistance levels in some bacteria have reached a point where some bacterial infections are no longer treatable by any available antibiotic. A certain type of bacteria, so-called Gram-negatives, are naturally much harder to treat because their cell walls are almost impenetrable to most antibiotics. This means that nearly no new antibiotics have been developed in recent years which show any activity against these bacteria. This project aims to understanding the structural principles behind those drugs that can and cannot cross the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. The results will inform new drug discovery activities and help to design novel therapeutics against resistant infections.