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The enzymes that enable bacteria to make themselves at home

torrentsFig2_webIBEC researchers have come a step closer to understanding how bacteria can cause chronic infections by identifying the key enzymes that allow them to create the right conditions for infection.

When P. aeruginosa bacteria cause chronic lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it means they have been able to form a mature biofilm in situ that lets them grow and adapt. This biofilm not only enhances cell-to-cell communication for the bacteria, thus allowing the infection to increase and thrive, but it also increases the chances of developing new antibiotic resistance and escape from the body’s immune system.

IBEC signs agreement with Bioibérica

bioibericaIBEC has signed a collaboration agreement with Bioibérica S.A., a company specialised in the R&D, production and sale of biomolecules and new technologies for the pharmaceutical, veterinary and agrochemical industries. It’s the latest success story in IBEC’s active pursuit of the establishment of research projects with industry partners who share its commitment to bringing high-quality health research and technologies to market and the patient.

Together, IBEC – specifically its Nanomalaria joint unit with ISGlobal, led by Xavier Fernández-Busquets – and Bioibérica, which since its formation in 1975 has focused on the investigation and production of biomolecules extracted from animal tissue with significant biological and therapeutic properties, will explore ways of combining their expertise to achieve advances in future medicine.

Focus on Cystic Fibrosis

FQnewsTo coincide with National Cystic Fibrosis Day 2016, IBEC and the Catalan Association of Cystic Fibrosis (ACFQ) have organized an event, “The present and future of Cystic Fibrosis”, which is taking place on 27th April at the Barradas auditorium (Rambla Just Oliveras 56, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat).

As part of IBEC’s new ‘Focus on…’ series of outreach activities, which will highlight diseases for which the institute’s researchers are working towards finding solutions, the day will raise awareness about and present research results and clinical advances relating to CF, which is one of the most common serious genetic diseases in Catalonia. IBEC’s Bacterial Infections: Antimicrobial Therapies group’s projects researching the enzyme that promotes the growth of the bacteria linked to this disease, and possible therapeutic targets, has been supported by the ACFQ since 2009.