Dr. Timm Fiebig from the Institute of Clinical Biochemistry at Hannover Medical School (MHH) has been awarded a Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) worth around two million euros for five years. With the BESPOKE project, he aims to develop alternatives to antibiotics by deciphering the protective capsular polymers of critical pathogens such as Enterococcus and Escherichia coli.

These sugar polymers surround the bacteria as a protective shell, making them invisible to the immune system and making antibiotics more difficult. Fiebig and his team want to analyze the diverse structures of these polymers in order to develop new glycoconjugate vaccines that train the immune system specifically for these surface structures.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies Enterococcus and E. coli as particularly critical pathogens that can cause serious infections such as diarrhea, urinary tract infections, blood poisoning or meningitis. Worldwide, more than 1.1 million people die every year from antibiotic resistance. By 2050, there could be eight to ten million.

The project uses genome data from patient isolates from the MHH and the TWINCORE Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research. The aim is to build a “toolbox” for the enzymatic production of vaccine components – without the use of live, dangerous bacteria.

The ERC Consolidator Grant honors scientists who have already achieved excellent research achievements. With BESPOKE, Fiebig wants to make a contribution to combating the global antibiotic crisis.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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