Tricking bacteria
Antibiotic resistance – pathogenic bacteria becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics – is a major threat to public health. This problem is exacerbated by multidrug resistance where bacteria are often resistant to multiple antibiotics and antibiotic resistance may become the leading cause of death by 2050.
This potential timebomb highlights the importance of the joint research programme of the University of Szeged and the Biological Research Centre which will look into the causes as well as the processes leading to resistance. The participating research groups, led by Csaba Pál, Balázs Papp and Éva Kondorosi, will create bacterial strains that are resistant to antibiotics then assess the effect of antibiotic combinations on the antibiotic resistance of these strains. These findings will be used by the research groups of Tamás Martinek, Ferenc Fülöp and Imre Földesi to produce new antibiotic compounds that attempt to trick bacterial defence systems and counteract the resistance.
The researchers will apply a new strategy that puts the mechanisms responsible for the control over the development and elimination of resistance as the focus of pharmaceutical research. This new research strategy will be applied by the researchers at the University of Szeged using systems biology; synthetic chemistry and biology to create a new methodology for the qualitative development of new active pharmaceutical ingredients. This research will allow researchers to develop combination therapies based on co-administration of molecules and will also help to restore the efficiency of current antibiotics.
SZTE Experience
Tamerlan Mendybayev – Faculty of Agriculture
My name is Tamerlan Mendybayev. I am from capital of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan. Currently I am first year student at the Faculty of Agriculture. I chose the University of Szeged as my study destination for several reasons: firstly, it is a well-known applied science institution in Europe and the best in Hungary. Secondly, the program is designed with a significant focus on the developing practical skills of the students and there is a University pilot farm where students keen their skills and implement their knowledge in practice. Undoubtedly, University of Szeged is a place where students become professionals in their academic field.
Ahmad Adha - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
I am Ahmad Adha from Indonesia and currently a 3rd year student in Theoretical Linguistics PhD program. I chose the University of Szeged (SZTE) as my study destination because it is located in the center of the town and it is also the highest ranked university in Hungary. The university staff and the professors were very accommodating and understanding when I decided to change the program that suits my research topic. I am so glad that I can be a part of my current department, and of course SZTE, since it is also the Center of Pragmatic Research which aims to promote advanced linguistic pragmatic research with international collaborations. After graduating, I wish to continue to work in my academic field as a professor and a researcher. My advice for prospective SZTE students is to choose a university with a good academic reputation that fits their passion.
