Metals could be the link to new antibiotics

Compounds containing metals could hold the key to the next generation of antibiotics to combat the growing threat of global antibiotic resistance.

University of Queensland researchers, working with a network of international collaborators, have discovered 23 previously unexplored compounds containing metals such as silver, manganese, zinc, ruthenium and iridium that have antibacterial and antifungal activity.

The study was led by Dr. Mark Blaskovich, Dr. Angelo Frei and Dr. Johannes Zuegg of UQ’s Centre for Superbug Solutions at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience.