Research into antibiotic resistance underway in Hamburg and Marseille

29 May 2023

Cities form research collaboration to develop antibiotic agents

The University of Hamburg, the University of Aix-Marseilles and the Hamburg Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding Thursday (May 25, 2023) in Marseille to develop new active substances. Researchers in Hamburg specialising in antibiotics are developing new means of measurement while the French scientists are focusing on clinical microbiology. Around 1.3 million people die every year because antibiotics are no longer effective against infections, according to the World Health Organization. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and stop responding to medicines and is. now one of the greatest health hazards, according to the EU.

Collaboration to boost exchange and new antibiotics

Speaking during in Marseilles, Katharina Fegebank, Deputy Mayor of Hamburg, stressed: "Antibiotics must work in life-threatening situations such as blood poisoning. We achieve this, on the one hand, by only using antibiotics when absolutely necessary and, on the other hand, by developing new, effective drugs." The partners also agreed to promote the exchange of students and PhD students etween Hamburg and Marseille.

Developing new active substances and eliminating resistance

"Developing new therapies against infections with multi-resistant bacteria is of enormous importance, as these can only be treated to a limited extent with conventional antibiotics, and in some cases not at all. We want to develop novel active substances that eliminate bacterial resistance mechanisms and significantly improve the effect of antibiotics in close co-operation with universities in Hamburg and Marseille," said Prof. Dr Björn Windshuegel, Fraunhofer ITMP. The Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences at the University of Hamburg is among the collaborators.

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