| Project Detail |
In an era marked by escalating concerns over antibiotic and antimycotic resistance as the next major global pandemic, the need to explore unconventional sources of antimicrobial agents has become increasingly urgent. In this context, lactobacilli, traditionally renowned for their probiotic and food applications, have recently emerged as a promising source of novel antimicrobial strategies. These lactic acid bacteria, abundant in various natural habitats including the human vagina and fermented foods, present a unique source for the discovery of novel antimicrobial compounds, because the compounds are valuable as such when purified and when combined with the producing lactobacilli are used as live biotherapeutic products or probiotics. The VALERIE project starts from recent discoveries in the host laboratory that lactobacilli from the vagina can produce specialized antimicrobials, including novel bacteriocin-types. This discovery is particularly appealing since gynaecology and womens health is an area in medicine which urgently needs new antimicrobials. VALERIE aims to bring these discoveries to a higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL4). Our objectives include purifying and characterizing these compounds and assessing their antimicrobial efficacy against key pathogens, including fungi like Candida albicans and ESKAPE pathogens and elucidate their mode of action. Hereto, we will assess the safety and efficacy of the purified compounds and producing lactobacilli in silico, in vitro and in vivo and initiate the development of multispecies lactobacilli formulation for applications with the live producing micro-organisms. These experiments will result in a robust dataset that can attract industrial partners for future endeavours aimed at clinical applications. Through innovative approaches, we aspire to unveil and harness the untapped antimicrobial potential of lactobacilli, providing a ray of hope in our ongoing battle against antibiotic resistance. |
