Researchers Receive 500k Euro Grant to Develop Widely Established Bacteriophages for Antibacterial Resistance

Researchers from UMC Utrecht and TU Delft have received a grant of more than 500 thousand euros from NWO to develop more widely established bacteriophages. With the help of such modified phages, the researchers want to overcome bacterial defense barriers, which are an important tool in bacterial resistance against bacteriophages.

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Bacteriophages (‘phages’) viruses that can kill bacteria and are considered a promising alternative for treating infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They have a high specificity for their host bacteria and are often only able to capture and kill one strain of one specific bacterial species. This makes it possible a targeted antibacterial treatment, without side effects on the so-called ‘good’ bacteria. Researchers from TU Delft recently discovered that some bacteria build up defense mechanisms to avoid being killed by phages. Certain types of bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa for example, you have over 100 different immune systems and one strain can have as many as 20 in its genome. Fortunately, phages have developed several defense mechanisms against such bacterial strains. In this project, researchers want to combine these defense mechanisms and create a phage that can capture a wider range of bacterial types with different defense mechanisms. This amplification of bacteriophage activity is seen as an important step in the clinical application of phage therapy.

Synergy in cooperation

The joint research team includes a medical microbiologist Dr. Pieter-Jan Haas (Department of Medical Microbiology, UMC Utrecht) and microbiologist prof. Dr. Stan Browns (Department of Bionanoscience, TU Delft). Pieter-Jan Haas is the project leader and is responsible for coordination and communication between the academic researchers. Two postdocs (one in Utrecht and one in Delft) will work on the project for a period of 2 years. In addition, the UMC Utrecht has an analyst specializing in phage methods offering support in the production of phages, high throughput evaluations, sequel and bacterial changes. NWO has provided an amount of €511,754 for the project.

The knowledge and techniques in the field of phage defense systems and phage biology of TU Delft in combination with the advanced reading systems, sensitivity tests and microbiological genome editing in a clinical setting of the UMC Utrecht create a co -unique operation. The combined skills and knowledge, the availability of clinical relevance P. aeruginosaStrains at the UMC Utrecht and phages at TU Delft and their translation into clinical application make these partners the best candidates for this project.

Addressing antimicrobial resistance

According to the WHO antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to health and development and requires urgent action. The European Centers for Disease Control (ECDC) estimates that up to 35,000 people in Europe die every year from diseases caused by bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, a number that is likely to increase in the future. In addition to death and disability, these diseases lead to longer hospital stays, the need for more expensive medications and higher health care costs. Without effective antibiotics or alternatives, the success of modern medicine in treating disease, including major surgery and chemotherapy, would be jeopardized.

Study coordinator Pieter-Jan Haas explains: “Tackling current and emerging infectious diseases and AMR requires alternatives to the use of antibiotics, and there is potential at phage therapy in this area Due to the increase in AMR and limited supply of new antibiotics, interest in The use of antibacterial phages has increased again But the interaction between phages and bacteria is better understood and how that bacteria clear phage infections is essential to select the best phage candidate for these clinical studies a broad spectrum of activity against clinical P. aeruginosa– tribes. If successful, the effectiveness and safety of these pages could be studied in clinical trials, for example in patients with implant infections caused by P. aeruginosa.”

Free NACTAR program

The program Novel antibacterial agents and therapies that resist resistance (NACTAR) from NWO since 2017 focusing on research into new sources and alternatives to antibiotics. Almost 1.6 million euros have been awarded together with the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports for the 2023 round. Be here four studies selected where the effectiveness of new antimicrobial agents and methods is being determined. This can greatly contribute to the healing of bacterial infections where conventional medicines and antibiotics no longer work.