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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.