antibiotic resistance

Indian mother and child
February 11, 2016

Slight chemical change may improve TB treatments: study

One small chemical change to an existing antibacterial drug results in a compound that is more effective against its target enzyme in tuberculosis, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.

By Leigh MacMillan
bacteria microbiome
February 5, 2016

Dynamics of a drug resistance transporter

Vanderbilt investigators are exploring the shape changes in a multidrug transporter to understand the mechanisms of antibacterial resistance.

By VUMC News and Communications
August 7, 2015

Bridging the antibiotic gap

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered how certain molecules with antibiotic properties are synthesized, findings that could lead to new drugs that overcome the increased antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

By Sanjay Mishra and Bill Snyder
June 22, 2015

Vanderbilt-led multi-center study looks at antibiotic choice for treating childhood pneumonia

New Vanderbilt-led research shows hospitals are doing a better job of using antibiotics less commonly associated with antibiotic resistance to treat children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

By Christina Echegaray
staph colonies on red petri dish
October 16, 2014

Staph ‘gangs’ share nutrients during infection: study

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can share resources to cause chronic infections, Vanderbilt investigators have discovered. The findings shed light on a long-standing question in infectious diseases and may inform new treatment strategies.

By Leigh MacMillan
April 24, 2014

Team finds way to explore ‘super family’ of enzymes

Vanderbilt University’s Richard Armstrong, Ph.D., is part of a multi-institutional research team that has found a new way to interrogate a “super family” of enzymes involved in detoxification, cellular metabolism and antibiotic resistance, which have many other as-yet-undiscovered functions.

By Bill Snyder
March 3, 2014

Dismantling staph’s drug resistance

Targeting the enzyme FosB could make antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria sensitive to the antibiotic fosfomycin.
By Leigh MacMillan
October 30, 2013

Preserving antibiotic arsenal for TB

Clinicians should be cautious about prescribing newer fluoroquinolone antibiotics to patients with TB risk factors; doing so may jeopardize the use of these agents against TB.
By Leigh MacMillan
June 20, 2013

Studies outline new model for staph bone infections

Osteomyelitis, a debilitating bone infection most frequently caused by Staphylococcus aureus (“staph”) bacteria, is particularly challenging to treat.
By Leigh MacMillan
March 14, 2013

Bacterial resistance breaks bridges

Understanding how bacteria become resistant to quinolone antibiotics could guide strategies for developing new antibacterial drugs.
By Leigh MacMillan
January 17, 2013

Zinc: a new antibiotic target?

It may be possible to fight hospital-acquired pathogens like Acinetobacter baumannii by targeting the bacterium’s need for the nutrient metal zinc.
By Leigh MacMillan