Additional funding was granted for the research into live antibiotics by bioengineers at the University of Antwerp, the institution announced on Monday.
Antibiotic resistance is one of the largest threats to public health, with an estimated 1.27 million people dying of resistant infections annually. The death toll could rise to 10 million per year by 2050 if no changes are made.
The Antwerp researchers seek to develop a natural alternative, based on live vaginal lactobacilli bacteria, which produce unique antimicrobial substances acting as mini-factories for medicine.
Professor Sarah Lebeer explained that vaginal lactobacilli can produce specialised antimicrobial substances, including new types of bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are small, toxic peptides produced by bacteria to inhibit competitors’ growth.
These substances hold significant promise for gynaecological applications, an area in particular need of new antimicrobial solutions.
The additional grant of €150,000 from the European Research Council will enable the team to translate their discoveries into clinical applications. Previously, the project had received €1.5 million.
