Saar-Universität fails at Excellence Cluster-Future of active ingredient research?

Saar-Universität fails at Excellence Cluster-Future of active ingredient research?

The University of the Saarland has wasted an important chance of promotion as part of the federal and state excellence initiative. The application for the Cluster of Excellence was rejected in the last round. Nevertheless, those responsible see the implementation of the ideas from the “NextAid³” cluster initiative as future -oriented. University President Ludger Santen emphasizes that the expansion of the infrastructure for active ingredient research in Saarland is further advanced, even without promoting excellence. This initiative has the goal of accelerating the development of new medication because the current market launch takes about ten years and costs up to two billion euros.

The increasing need for new active ingredients is particularly reinforced by global challenges such as infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance. In Germany, over 50,000 people fall ill annually to antibiotic -resistant pathogens, and the WHO warns that ten million people could die from these resistant germs annually by 2050. These alarming statistics underline the urgency of research in this area.

active ingredient research in Saarland

The cluster initiative has contributed to making the biomedical research focus on internationally visible in Homburg and Saarbrücken. 63 scientists from natural sciences, computer science and medicine work together for the implementation of the cluster ideas, supported by the Saarland state government and additional funds. The Pharmasciaehub, which was founded by the University of Saarland and the Helmholtz Institute HIPS, plays a central role in active ingredient research, with over 75 research groups that cooperate with each other to develop active ingredient candidates

University President Santen plans to continue the ideas developed as part of the cluster initiative with own funds and other funding programs. The progress in active ingredient research, which is mentioned in the coalition agreement of the federal government, are particularly important. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has created funding opportunities to promote the use of artificial intelligence in active ingredient research.

artificial intelligence against antibiotic resistance

In order to counter the challenges of antibiotic resistance, artificial intelligence is increasingly considered useful. The use of machine learning by researchers, like Professor Dr. Alexander Goesmann from the Justus Liebig University Gießen enables faster identification of resistance. The BMBF supports this project with around one million euros. Large data records are analyzed in order to recognize relationships between genes and resistance. The goal is to develop a quick and simple test on resistance in order to effectively inform treating doctors about available antibiotics.

In addition, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrical Microbiology are working on a new approach to finding antibiotics. Deep Learning is used under the direction of Prof. Tobias Erb to discover new bioactive peptides. These peptides have the potential to show a broad spectrum of activity against multi -resistant pathogens without observing resistance developments. By developing a cell -free protein synthesis, these peptides can be made quickly and inexpensively, which could be significant progress in combating antibiotic resistance.

Research in this area offers promising approaches that still have to be validated, but have the potential to promote the development of new antibiotics and thus contribute to the control of infections by resistant bacteria. It remains to be hoped that the knowledge gained leads to a significant improvement in current therapy strategies.

The urgency of these developments is more than evident due to the steadily increasing resistance and the associated health risks. Cooperation between universities, research institutes and industry is becoming increasingly decisive in order to successfully master the challenges in the field of antibiotic resistance. The broad support on the part of politics, as well as support programs, is essential to sustainably promote these important research initiatives.

For further information on developments in active ingredient research, please read the reports from the University of Saarland, the BMBF and laboratory practice: University of Saarlandes , bmbf , Laboratory practice .