Development of molecular imaging and therapeutic agents for Staphylococcus aureus
A seminar presented by Dr Matthias Fellner, Sir Charles Hercus Fellow, Department of Biochemistry.
In this talk I will summarise our efforts to develop a diagnostic probe for S. aureus biofilm infected tissue by targeting serine hydrolases via a covalent link. A
n international collaborative team is combining structure-function characterisations with organic synthesis, peptide discoveries via phage display and in silico methods to achieve the required exceptional level of specificity. In parallel, we are also investigating the underlying mechanisms of serine hydrolases in S. aureus biofilm formation by linking microbiology with mass spectrometry and NMR techniques. Targeting serine hydrolases may result in decreased virulence and may also make S. aureus more susceptible to certain antibiotics.
