New antibiotics for the world!

Invitation to the journalists’ seminar “On the hunt for new antibiotics and active substances from bacteria” at the DSMZ in Braunschweig, Germany, on the 14th of November 2024.

A growing and worrying antibiotics crisis is threatening people worldwide. Antibiotic resistance is on the rise globally and costing millions of human lives. Research groups around the world are searching for new antibiotics. Some such research is being carried out by the Department of Bioresources for Bioeconomy and Health Research headed by Prof Dr Yvonne Mast at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH in Braunschweig.

The WHO is not alone in recognising antibiotic resistance as a global threat to human health. At least 1.3 million people worldwide die every year because antibiotics are not (or no longer) effective against their infection. Science is facing up to one of the greatest challenges for health research: counteracting the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), developing new active substances (especially antibiotics) and advancing bacteriophage research. The Leibniz Institute DSMZ is the world’s most comprehensive collection of bioresources and supports researchers in the life sciences worldwide – not only in antibiotics and bacteriophage research.

Since the subject area of antibiotics, resistance and infections is highly complex, on the 14th of November 2024, the scientists at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ are offering journalists the opportunity to take part in a journalists’ seminar in Braunschweig and gain important insights into modern drug research. Schedule of the journalists’ seminar “On the hunt for new antibiotics and active substances from bacteria: New antibiotics for the world!” on the 14th of November 2024, 10.00 to 17.00, Leibniz Institute DSMZ, Science Campus Braunschweig-Süd, Building B2:

Presentation of the most diverse collection of bioresources in the world and its research focus News from drug research – the search for new antibiotics from actinomycetes etc.,
Prof Dr Yvonne Mast

Genetics and biology of streptomycetes as antibiotic producers, Dr Juan-Pablo Gomez Escribano

The diversity of actinomycetes and its significance, Dr Imen Nouioui

Guided tour of the actinomycetes laboratory, opportunity for photos and discussion with the researchers involved Activation of silent antibiotic synthesis gene clusters for finding new active substances, Dr Roman Makitrynskyy

Screening for new phosphonate antibiotics from actinomycetes of the DSMZ, Alina Zimmermann

Antibiotic producers from the Antarctic, Ulrike Tarazona

Phages and their efficacy against pathogenic actinomycetes, Dr Clara Rolland/Dr Johannes Wittmann

Guided tour of the main building of the Leibniz Institute DSMZ (Departments of Plant Viruses, Human and Animal Cell Cultures, and Microorganisms)

Participation, including lunch, drinks and snacks, is free of charge. Travelling expenses cannot be covered. Registration until the 7th of November 2024, 10.00 am.

http://www.dsmz.de