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
Dianne - Faculty of Science and Informatics
I am a PhD student and a Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holder from the Philippines. I am currently pursuing my PhD in Environmental Science and I happen to be in my 3rd year of studies. I chose University of Szeged because its one of the top ranked research university in Hungary known for its good reputation in the fields of health and natural sciences. Coming from the Philippines with a warm climate, I had huge preference of Szeged for my studies, the city having the most rays of sunshine and considered to be the warmest place in Hungary. I would advise all the prospective students to join University of Szeged’s diverse and vibrant community! Don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone, try to find and establish your niche in a new place like what I did. I didn’t regret coming to Szeged as it continuously provides me an enabling learning environment for various reasons, has affordable cost of living, very safe and calm university town, organized transport system, beautiful and clean surroundings with the very sightly Tisza River which adds to its appeal, and also holds many festivals throughout the year. After graduation, I am planning to go back to my home institution and continue my teaching duties at the University of the Philippines Los Baños
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.
