Researchers Make Computer Models To Tackle Antibiotic Resistance

Learn more about the new computer models that make more targeted antibiotics a possibility.

By Sam Walters
Jan 14, 2025 10:30 PMJan 15, 2025 3:41 PM
Targeted antibiotic drugs to tackle antibiotic resistance.
To reduce antibiotic resistance, researchers are looking to ‘laser-like’ antibiotics. (Credit: Aria Armoko/Shutterstock)

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In their battle against antibiotics, bacteria are gaining an edge, becoming more and more resistant to antibiotic attacks. But a new paper published in PLOS Biology suggests that computer models could contribute to making more targeted antibiotics, with a reduced risk of increasing bacteria’s antibiotic resistance.

According to the authors of the paper, these laser-like antibiotics could attack specific bacteria in specific areas of our bodies once created, restricting the bugs’ chances to adapt to the threat of antibiotic medicines.

“Many biomedical challenges are incredibly complex, and computer models are emerging as a powerful tool for tackling such problems,” said Jason Papin, a study author and a professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Virginia, in a press release. “We’re hopeful that these computer models of the molecular networks in bacteria will help us develop new strategies to treat infections.”

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