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RIT researcher awarded grant to develop new class of antibiotics
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An associate professor at Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology has been awarded a federal grant for $436,989 to research the efficacy of the DapL enzyme as a target for narrow-spectrum antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria, according to a press release.
“No new class of antibiotics has been developed in 30 years,” André O. Hudson, PhD, the principal researcher on the grant, said in the release. “Had we had the notion of having antibiotics in the pipeline, we could have had them ready to use when resistance first became a problem.”
According to Ryne Raffaelle, PhD, vice president for research and associate provost at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the Academic Research Enhancement Award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences may accelerate that process.
“Our study of the DapL enzyme could lead to breakthroughs in targeting pathogenic bacteria,” Raffaelle said. “I’m thrilled that we are receiving this grant to continue our research to help combat the threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.”
New York Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter, MPH, (D, 25th District), author of the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act, helped procure the federal funding.
“The dangers posed by an antibiotic-resistant superbug are not some far off threat, as we saw earlier this year with the discovery of our nation’s first case of bacteria that could not be killed by any known drug,” Slaughter said. “This is a global problem, and I am proud that RIT is receiving this award so scientists in our community can lead the way in finding a global solution.
“I wrote my master’s thesis on bacterial drug resistance long before other scientists started taking this threat seriously, and I will continue sounding the alarm so we can save antibiotics for human beings.”
Hudson is enthused to lead the research and involve students at RIT.
“It is important that we train and mentor students,” Hudson said. “A lot of the world’s current issues are going to be solved by this generation and the generations that follow, so this provides me with an opportunity to train and mentor, get them excited about using science to solve the issues that will be relevant to the future.”
Disclosures: Hudson and Raffaelle are employed by RIT. Infectious Disease News was unable to confirm Slaughter’s relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.