Scientists discover first new class of antibiotics that could fight off drug-resistant bacteria
The new molecule, called lariocidin, works by targeting a part of a bacteria's cell called the ribosome and can disrupt the cell's functions.
"This is a new molecule with a new mode of action. It's a big leap forward for us," Gerry Wright, a professor at McMaster University in Canada and one of the corresponding authors of the study, said in a statement.
Related
Microplastics may make bacteria more resistant to antibiotics, researchers say
Researchers discovered it by growing bacteria from soil in a backyard for approximately one year, according to their findings published in the journal Nature.
They found that lariocidin is produced by the Paenibacillus bacteria, which was found in the soil.
The researchers exposed the samples to E. coli, a common gut bacterium with strains that can cause serious disease.
In addition to its action against bacteria, lariocidin also showed no toxicity to human cells.
"Lariocidin has a broad spectrum of action as it is effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including those identified as priorities by the World Health Organisation in the search for new antimicrobials due to their multi-drug resistance profile," Rafael Cantón, head of the microbiology department at the Madrid-based Ramón y Cajal Hospital, said in a statement.
Cantón, who didn't take part in the study, also highlighted that the discovery of a completely new mechanism to target pathogens represents a "milestone in the fight against resistant bacteria".
More research, including clinical trials, is necessary to confirm the compound's efficacy.
Related
Scientists discover the first new antibiotics in over 60 years using AI
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top global public health threats.
"Our old drugs are becoming less and less effective as bacteria become more and more resistant to them," Wright said.
According to the WHO, around 4.95 million deaths globally are associated with AMR.
In Europe and Central Asia, antimicrobial resistance causes 133,000 deaths each year, WHO's regional office in Europe has said.
It has also been estimated to cost the European Union and Economic Area around €11.7 billion yearly due to productivity loss and healthcare expenditure.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Over 100 people being investigated for vape offences, say MOH and HSA
SINGAPORE – More than 100 people are under investigation for offences involving vapes, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Aug 14. In a joint statement, MOH and HSA said 18 individuals are facing charges in court for offences under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act involving the sale, advertising or import of e-vaporisers. As at Aug 14, five people have been charged over the sale or importation of etomidate-laced e-vaporisers. HSA is also investigating about 65 cases involving the possession, sale or importation of etomidate-laced e-vaporisers. Another 100 are under investigation for offences involving non-etomidate e-vaporisers under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, said the authorities. They said: 'MOH and HSA have been intensifying enforcement actions against etomidate-laced e-vaporiser offences in Singapore.' Under the Poisons Act, those convicted of possessing, importing or selling pods containing etomidate can be jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to $10,000. MOH and HSA said etomidate will soon be classified as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Offenders caught using etomidate-laced e-vaporisers will be subject to mandatory supervision and rehabilitation. Repeat offenders are liable to be prosecuted and subject to jail for at least a year. More severe penalties apply to those selling, distributing or importing these devices, including imprisonment of up to 20 years and caning. 'Users of e-vaporisers, particularly those consuming etomidate, are strongly urged to cease consumption immediately,' said MOH and HSA. The increase in enforcement numbers comes after The Straits Times launched its anti-vaping campaign called Vaping: The Invisible Crisis on July 13. Etomidate is meant for use only during medical procedures. When vaped, etomidate enters the lungs directly, potentially triggering spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and even psychosis. If etomidate is listed as a Class C drug, abusers can be subjected to supervision and mandatory participation in a rehabilitation programme or committed to drug rehabilitation centres, similar to what drug abusers undergo. Under current laws, possessing, using or buying vapes carries a maximum fine of $2,000. Those found in possession of or using pods containing etomidate can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $10,000. The measures listed in the MOH-HSA joint statement are among the latest the authorities have taken to tackle the vape scourge in Singapore. On Aug 13, HSA said it was working with Hong Kong's Department of Health (DOH) to tackle vaping by exchanging information and expertise with each other. HSA signed a memorandum of understanding with the DOH for cooperation in healthcare regulatory matters involving health products. Also on Aug 13, ST reported HSA had recently advertised job openings for investigators specifically to crack down on Kpods. As at Aug 14, more than 500 people have applied for the job. The public can report vaping offences to the Tobacco Regulation Branch on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, or online at Those who need help to quit vaping can join the Health Promotion Board's I Quit programme by calling the QuitLine on 1800-438-2000. The authorities have said those who voluntarily seek support to quit vaping will not face any penalties for doing so. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
Boston Globe
5 hours ago
- Boston Globe
In 2023, Mass. hospitals pushed executive pay to new heights
That total reflected base salary, bonus pay, retirement benefits, and more. It was a 40.1 percent increase from the prior year, and included roughly $4.3 million in bonus and incentive pay. The amount is the highest total compensation reported by a Massachusetts hospital CEO in at least the last decade. In a statement, MGB Board Chairman Scott Sperling stood by Klibanski's compensation package, which he said was based on industry benchmarks with input from a consultant. Advertisement 'The challenges facing our industry are many, and the competition for top talent is unprecedented. It is imperative that we actively and robustly recruit and retain at every level to ensure we can expertly care for patients and communities for years to come,' Sperling said. 'Our objective, on average, is to base compensation for our senior executives at the 50th percentile of the current market, with performance driving any adjustments,' he said. Advertisement Previously, the health system has pointed to the leaders at other national health systems than her Massachusetts colleagues. Indeed, her 2023 salary ranked below some, including CEO of New York-based Northwell Health ($9 million) and Arizona-based Banner Health ($14 million). However Klibanski eclipsed others, including the CEOs at Cleveland Clinic ($7 million), and Mayo Clinic ($4.3 million). While the most recent compensation report lags by two years, Sperling pointed to how Klibanski had handled recent challenges as an example of what he said was her 'clear-eyed leadership,' including disruptive federal actions that have threatened research and an inpatient capacity crises. Dr. Anne Klibanski, with then-Governor Charlie Baker, pictured speaking at a coronavirus briefing in 2020. Sam Doran/Pool 'The Board of Directors fully supports Dr. Klibanski's compensation package ... which reflects her achievements and stewardship of an organization of this size and complexity,' Sperling said. Klibanski had plenty of company in the ranks of well-paid Massachusetts hospital executives in 2023. Dr. Kevin Tabb, who heads the state's second largest health system, Beth Israel Lahey Health, also reported a sizable increase, with his $5.4 million in total compensation representing a 93 percent increase from the prior year. The increases were a return to compensation Tabb reported in 2021, and were largely thanks to increases in bonus and incentive comp, as well as retirement and other deferred compensation. Dr. Eric Dickson, chief executive of UMass Memorial Health, reported a nearly 26 percent increase in total comp, to $3.9 million. The hospital said it changed its retirement plan in 2023, prompting an early payout of some benefits. That shift subsequently boosted the incentive compensation of several executives, including Dickson. Advertisement Similarly, Dr. Michael Gustafson, who left as president of UMass's flagship hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center, in July 2023, reported a 60 percent increase in total comp to $2.8 million. Michael Dandorph, who helms Tufts Medicine, also reported a double digit increase in total comp. His $2.1 million total compensation was 32 percent higher than the previous year. Dr. Alastair Bell, CEO of Boston Medical Center Health System since June 2023 and its president since November 2022, saw his total comp increase by 34 percent to $1.9 million. Large jumps weren't universal. Other executives saw smaller changes including Dr. Kevin Churchwell ($3.2 million, down 5 percent) at Boston Children's Hospital, Dr. Mark Keroack ($2.8 million, a 4.8 percent increase) at Baystate Health where he served until 2024, and Dr. Laurie Glimcher ($2.5 million, up 5 percent) at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute which she led until 2024. Dr. Kevin Churchwell, CEO of Boston Children's Hospital, saw his compensation go down 5 percent from 2022 to 2023. Erin Clark/Globe Staff The data tracks with a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, which showed that executives overseeing large teaching hospitals nationally were the highest compensated. The study, However, there was no association between compensation and the degree of community benefit a hospital provided, nor was higher compensation associated with better patient mortality rates or readmission rates, according to the study. The Massachusetts Nurses Association lambasted executives for the pay, particularly as they said the quality of care at hospitals across the state has suffered. 'At a time when nearly 80% of Massachusetts nurses say hospital care has gotten worse in the last two years, it is deeply troubling that hospital CEOs are taking home enormous compensation packages while continuing to fail to ensure safe conditions for patients and direct care providers,' the nurses union said in a statement. Advertisement 'The very same executives receiving millions of dollars per year are making decisions not to invest in bedside care or listen to caregivers,' it said. The salaries reflect a time when hospitals were just beginning to climb out of the effects from the pandemic. Volume and revenue had begun to rebound in the year that for many hospitals ended September 2023, with Often, hospital executive compensation has been tied to a system's size and comparisons to others in the market, said Susan Malanowski, managing director of compensation consultant the Wilson Group. There are pressures on boards to hire competent executives, and the pool of applicants is smaller than it has been in the past. 'To be competitive, it is what it is,' Malanowski said. 'There is not really a big supply of competent CEOs or c-suite (executives).' While the most recent compensation data is for 2023, hospitals will be harder pressed to support large pay packages in 2025 and onward, Malanowski predicted. Uncertainty at the federal level will mean non-profit institutions will have to be more circumspect about where they set base salaries, and compensation increases are projected to be smaller. Advertisement Jessica Bartlett can be reached at
Geek Wire
6 hours ago
- Geek Wire
Photos: Inside the Allen Institute for AI's new HQ in Seattle's first mass-timber office building
The view from one of Ai2's outdoor patios, overlooking Lake Union and the Seattle skyline. (Photos by Todd Bishop, GeekWire) It was a big news week for Seattle's Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Ai2), including the announcement of a new AI robotics initiative and a landmark grant from Nvidia and the National Science Foundation to lead the creation of the future AI backbone for U.S. scientific research. But the nonprofit research institute also reached another milestone in recent weeks: moving into its new 50,000-square-foot headquarters in Seattle's first large-scale mass-timber commercial building. A lobby seating area at Ai2's new headquarters in Northlake Commons. (GeekWire Photo / Todd Bishop) The new Ai2 space, in the Northlake Commons project on the north shore of Lake Union, is now the central gathering and workspace for the organization and its team of about 225 people. Ai2 occupies one floor of the five-story building. It's a short drive up the road from Ai2's prior headquarters, and within walking or biking distance of the University of Washington, where many of Ai2's researchers are also affiliated with the UW Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. Mass timber is an engineered wood product made by binding layers of wood together into strong, large structural panels and beams, providing the strength of steel or concrete with a lower carbon footprint. The mass-timber elements are visible throughout the space and common areas of the building. An outdoor meeting area at the Northlake Commons building. The space includes large meeting rooms, private call rooms, a podcast and video studio, large doors that open up to outside patios on warm days, and a dining area and gathering space with sweeping views of Lake Union and downtown. The interior design deliberately avoids a traditional 'sea of desks' layout in favor of smaller groupings of workstations where researchers can collaborate while remaining connected through walkways and sight lines. There's even enough space for a simulated home environment in the Ai2 robotics lab, including two kitchens, allowing researchers to test their latest AI robotics technology in conditions that mimic a real-world household. The Ai2 logo in the lobby of the new headquarters. Northlake Commons was designed by Seattle-based architect Weber Thompson and built by general contractor Swinerton. News of the Ai2 lease was announced in July 2024. The Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) is separate from the AI2 Incubator, which spun off from the non-profit and has its own new waterfront home, AI House, at Pier 70 on Elliott Bay. Keep scrolling for more pictures from inside the new Ai2 space. The view across the open-air courtyard at Northlake Commons, the mass-timber building that now houses Ai2's new headquarters. (GeekWire Photos / Todd Bishop) A grouping of workstations inside the new Ai2 headquarters. The entrance to a new podcast and video studio at the Ai2 headquarters. A large common area overlooking Lake Union. The Ai2 logo inside the common room of the new headquarters. RELATED STORY: Allen Institute for AI lands $152M from Nvidia and NSF to lead national AI project
