Self-Sensing Substrates for High-Throughput Antibiotic Discovery

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest threats facing humanity. In 2019, 5 million deaths were attributed to AMR, and it is projected to kill 10+ million per year by 2050. We are in a constant arms race with bacteria, who inevitably develop resistance mechanisms against antibiotics over time. To increase the longevity of antibiotics, we must identify novel compounds that work against truly novel targets. Lipid kinases are an essential class of enzymes found across all orders of life. Several classes are unique to bacteria, making them ideal antibiotic targets.

We are recruiting a PhD student for a Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology project, in which fluorescently labelled bacterial lipids will be synthesized and used in high-throughput screening applications to identify new inhibitors of the enzymes that process them. This is a CAST PhD studentship, where the successful candidate will be co-supervised by Professor Stephen Cochrane at Queen’s University Belfast (Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology), and Dr Olga Genilloud, Scientific Director at Fundación MEDINA (Granada, Spain).

The project will begin with the chemical synthesis of fluorescently labelled bacterial lipids. Once optimized, the student will complete a placement at Fundación MEDINA, using their chemical probes to discover lipid kinase inhibitors from MEDINA’s natural product libraries. Once hits have been identified, a Medicinal Chemistry program will ensue to optimize antibiotic properties. The student will receive training in a wide range of laboratory techniques, including organic synthesis, NMR, HPLC, Fluorimetry, enzyme expression and assays, and high-throughput screening. They will join a large Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology group, benefiting from state-of-the-art equipment and close collaboration with group members (see https://www.cochranelab.com). Interdisciplinary training will also be received through placement at Fundación MEDINA.

Funding for this project is for 3 years and applicants should contact Professor Stephen Cochrane (s.cochrane@qub.ac.uk) for any queries related to the project. 

Applications will only be considered if they are submitted via the QUB Direct Application portal https://myportal.qub.ac.uk/SignIn?ReturnUrl=%2Fpg-admission-application-list%2F