Grant: Operating Grant

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a significant problem facing the health care sector. In the past, antibiotic resistance has been largely confined to bacterial infections associated with hospitals and other centers where intense antibiotic use provides the evolutionary pressure to select for resistant organisms. However, resistance is now becoming a major issue for infections originating in the community. Antibiotic resistance is therefore an acute problem that requires our attention. The research we plan to undertake addresses the problem of resistance on 2 fronts. First, by understanding the molecular basis of resistance, we will provide the necessary information to understand where resistance comes from and how we might overcome it. Second, we will search for molecules that block resistance. Such compounds could be leads towards new therapies that would extend the life of antibiotics currently in the clinic and imperiled by resistance.