Blue: Biological machines, Nanotech and Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is what happens when the drugs we use to kill bacteria stop working, and it is a big threat to global health worldwide. In my research I have aimed to answer the question if drugs used in cancer chemotherapy can cause bacteria to become resistant towards antibiotics and if so, how they do it. The short answer is yes, some cancer drugs can change the bacteria to make it so.

Every action in life happens by the action of enzymes. Enzymes are biological machines that catalyze chemical reactions with intricate 3D structures. We use computational (supercomputers) and experimental methods (including particle accelerators) to elucidate the nature of the temperature adaptation of enzymes. The goal is designing zero-emission enzymes as catalysts for a greener future.

Bacteria can live in a slimy protective layer called biofilms that hide them from our immune system. Because of this, infections caused by these slimy bacteria are very difficult to treat. To be able to sneak past the slimy protection, we developed fat bubbles and loaded it with DNA and antibiotics. We investigated whether these materials can penetrate the biofilm and if they destroy bacteria.