Antifungal approaches

Given the alarmingly high prevalence of fungal infections worldwide and the emergence of new fungal pathogens in recent decades, innovative antifungal strategies are urgently needed. The use of “classical” antibiotics is limited by the emergence and spread of resistant strains, the slow discovery rate of novel antibiotics and development, and the potential of deleterious off-target effects for our own microbiome. The administration of prophylactic or therapeutic commensal strains or probiotics represents an attractive alternative to antibiotics to restore a healthy microbiome and attenuate fungal infections, but this approach suffers from low efficacy and a poorly understood mode of action.

Within the “antifungal approaches” research topic, we aim to identify, develop, and characterize novel weapons against fungal pathogens. One of these is polymers that mimic antimicrobial peptides, as this class of molecules has a different mode of action than approved antifungals against Candida albicans, and could therefore be used synergistically with current therapies. Another class of molecules with great potential against fungal infections are keanumycins, a recently discovered family of non-ribosomal peptides with potent activity against plant fungal pathogens. Furthermore, we dissect the use of myxobacteria to discover antivirulence and antifungal compounds in collaboration with the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and the department MAM of the Leibniz-HKI. In collaboration with Gerald Lackner, University of Bayreuth, we also explore a fourth innovative approach to combat fungal infections, the development of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), also known as therapeutic microbes. LBPs are commensal organisms (mostly genetically) engineered to have an enhanced therapeutic effect and we are establishing LBPs designed to specifically attach to and fight C. albicans directly in the human body.