Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medicine and Health Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Antibiotic Drug Discovery Targeting Bacterial Metabolism, Miranda J. Wallace Aug 2019

Antibiotic Drug Discovery Targeting Bacterial Metabolism, Miranda J. Wallace

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Over the last century, the use of antibiotics has enabled many advances in modern medicine, making life as we know it possible. In recent years, however, emerging bacterial resistance to virtually all major antibiotic classes has resulted in a worldwide increase in morbidity, mortality, and financial burden associated with drug resistant infections. The antimicrobial resistance crisis presents an urgent need for new antimicrobials with distinct mechanisms of action from existing drugs. The current pharmaceutical pipeline of new antibiotics is limited due to three obstacles: a lack of understanding of resistance mechanisms, a dearth of novel mechanisms of action among new …


Iron-Containing Nanoparticles For The Treatment Of Chrionic Biofilm Infections In Cystic Fibrosis, Leisha M. A. Martin Apr 2019

Iron-Containing Nanoparticles For The Treatment Of Chrionic Biofilm Infections In Cystic Fibrosis, Leisha M. A. Martin

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common genetic disease resulting in the morbidity and mortality of Caucasian children and adults worldwide. Due to a genetic mutation resulting in malfunction of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) protein, CF patients produce highly viscous mucus in their respiratory tract. This leads to impairment of the mucociliary clearance of inhaled microbes. In addition to reduced microbial clearance, anoxic environmental conditions in the lungs promote biofilm-mode growth of the pathogenic bacterial species Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Chronic infections of P. aeruginosa begin in early childhood and typically persist until respiratory failure and death result. The …


Identification Of Antibiotic Ge37468a From Pseudonocardia Symbionts Of Trachymyrmex Septentrionalis Ants, Krithika Rao Jan 2019

Identification Of Antibiotic Ge37468a From Pseudonocardia Symbionts Of Trachymyrmex Septentrionalis Ants, Krithika Rao

Scripps Senior Theses

In response to the growing rates of antibiotic resistance in human bacterial pathogens, this study explores the natural products involved in the defensive symbiosis between actinobacteria and fungus-growing ants to uncover new potential antibiotics. This study also seeks to understand the function of natural antibiotics in their ecological contexts, especially those involved in defensive symbioses. Defensive symbiosis can be a beneficial platform for discovering useful antibiotics, because antibiotics in these relationships must be able to selectively inhibit enemies without harming hosts, and are therefore likely more specific and less toxic. Pseudonocardia sp. associated with Trachymyrmex septentrionalis ants demonstrated antibiotic activity …