BEDD

Our Research

Our main goals are to improve our ability to combat infections and microbial colonization of surfaces and to understand better how complex communities of microorganisms function. Our research is focused on three key areas:

1. Discovering New Antimicrobial Compounds: We’re developing methods to find new small molecules that can effectively fight bacteria. These molecules could become new antibiotics or treatments to combat infections.
2. Creating Lab Models of Bacterial Communities: We’re building models in the lab that mimic how bacteria interact in real-world settings, like in medical devices or on surfaces. These models help us identify new targets for drugs that could disrupt bacterial growth or survival.
3. Testing Drugs, Novel Models, and Strategies in Realistic Settings: Once we identify promising compounds, we test them in living organisms to evaluate their effectiveness and safety against microbial infections and biofouling – where microbes colonize surfaces and form resistant biofilms. We also assess innovative models and strategies designed to disrupt these biofilms on various surfaces, an area where traditional antibiotics often struggle.

Our approach combines different scientific methods to improve how we discover and develop treatments for these microbial events that are particularly challenging to treat.

Currently, our projects involve:

• Studying Biofilm Structures: We’re investigating how the physical structure of biofilms—such as their porosity and thickness—affects how well antibiotics and other treatments can penetrate and work against them. Understanding these aspects will help us develop strategies to disrupt biofilm growth effectively.
• Innovative Strategies for Biofilm Control: We’re exploring new ways to directly challenge bacteria within biofilms, aiming to find effective methods to break down their protective layers. For example, we’re studying signaling molecules that bacteria produce to develop strategies aimed at optimizing treatments for controlling biofilms.
• Exploring New Chemical Tools and Delivery Methods: We’re searching for new chemicals and targets within bacteria that could lead to innovative drug treatments. Our next step involves researching improved methods to deliver these medicines precisely to where biofilms develop, ensuring they reach their target effectively.

By focusing on these areas, we hope to contribute to the development of more effective strategies against microbial microbial infections and biofouling.