Evaluation of compounds in multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens as part of the Center for Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery (CIBFar)

• Grant number: 16/24969-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Ilana Lopes Baratella da Cunha Camargo
• Grantee: Gabriela Marinho Righetto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07600-3 - CIBFar - Center for Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, AP.CEPID

Abstract

The discovery of antibiotics has revolutionized medical treatment by reducing mortality caused by pathogens, but indiscriminate use has targeted multiresistant microorganisms that can generate aggressive outbreaks of nosocomial infections. In addition, the decrease in investments by the pharmaceutical industry for the discovery of new antibiotics resulted in a lower production rate than the increase in antimicrobial resistance, justifying the need to discover new drugs. A group of bacteria responsible for most hospital infections, called ESKAPE, Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter spp. also have the ability to "escape" the action of multiple antibiotics. The objective of the Laboratory of Epidemiology and Molecular Microbiology (LEMiMo) is to find possible drugs from compounds / extracts sent by other members of the Center for Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery (CIBFar), one of the CEPIDs of FAPESP. This project aims to evaluate the antimicrobial action of new compounds (plant extracts, natural products, peptides, etc.) against several ESKAPE bacteria of clinical origin. In addition, the same compounds will be evaluated for the ability to eradicate biofilm formed by a strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis. After screening, minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration will be determined. All compounds will be submitted to the biofilm eradication test. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MONTEIRO, AFIF FELIX; RIGHETTO, GABRIELA MARINHO; SIMOES, LAURA VILAR; DE ALMEIDA, LARISSA COSTA; COSTA-LOTUFO, LETICIA VERAS; BARATELLA DA CUNHA CAMARGO, ILANA LOPES; CASTRO-GAMBOA, IAN. Oxidative functionalization of a halimane diterpenoid achieved by fungal transformation. BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY, v. 86, p. 550-556, MAY 2019. (16/24969-9, 13/07600-3)