Health problems and the quality of life are worldwide issues. The impact of antibiotic resistance on public health is considerable as it is estimated to be the leading cause of global mortality by 2050, resulting in more than 10 million deaths per year. Paradoxically, the pipeline for new antibiotics has experienced a long-term decline since 1987. The renewal of the therapeutic arsenal is therefore crucial in order to limit the impact of antibiotic resistance in the coming years.
Marine microorganisms represent an under-explored source of new natural products which exhibit in situ several biological activities (cytotoxic, antibiotic, antifungal, antifouling, etc.). Marine natural products have often original structures, different from those of the metabolites of the terrestrial environment, and exhibit potent pharmacological activities with novel mechanisms of action. They could therefore be used to address unmet medical needs such as antibiotic resistance.
In this context, the purpose of the e-MDR PhD project is the development of new antibiotics against clinical multidrug resistant bacteria from untapped marine microorganisms.