Eefjan Breukink appointed professor of Microbial Membranes and Antibiotics

Utrecht University has appointed chemist Eefjan Breukink as professor of Microbial Membranes and Antibiotics. Breukink and his group are engaged in research aimed at finding new antibiotics that target bacterial cell membranes, the structures that separate the inside and outside of bacteria. Breukink: "It is my dream to discover an antibiotic that will truly aid us in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria." Cell membranes are a fundamental component of all living cells, whether they are bacterial, animal, plant, or fungal. However, not all cell membranes are equal: depending on the organism, they differ in composition and structure. This diversity presents promising avenues for the development of novel antibiotics, compounds that specifically target bacterial cells and thus combat bacterial infections. The pressing need for new antibiotics arises from the fact that many bacteria have either developed or are developing resistance to those antibiotics that are now used in the clinic. To effectively design antibiotics that target cell membranes, a thorough understanding of how bacterial membranes are constructed and function is essential.