Eight scientists from the University of Gdańsk (six women among them) have won the National Science Centre's OPUS 29 grants.
Today, we present the profile of dr hab. Mariusz Grinholc, prof. UG from the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG and MUG, whose project ‘Photodynamic inactivation as a broad-spectrum antibiotic adjuvant reversing multidrug-resistant Gram-negative critical priority pathogens’ received funding in the amount of PLN 3,370,860.00.
Mariusz Grinholc, prof. UG:
Head of the Laboratory of Photobiology and Molecular Diagnostics. A graduate of the University of Gdańsk (2004), he obtained his doctorate (2009) and habilitation (2016) in the field of biological sciences (biochemistry). Since 2013, he has been a member of the International Photodynamic Association and the European Society for Photobiology. Head of ten research grants funded by the National Science Centre, the National Centre for Research and Development and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Author of 64 peer-reviewed publications, supervisor of 5 defended and 4 ongoing doctoral theses. Chairman of the Biotechnology Discipline Council and Vice-Dean for Science at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG and MUG.
About the project:
The subject of the research funded under the OPUS project is the development and understanding of antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation ( aPDI) as a tool with the widest possible spectrum of action, which can enhance the effect of antibiotics and restore the sensitivity of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria to existing antibiotics.
The research planned as part of the funded project concerns the evaluation of the effectiveness and mechanisms of action of aPDI combined with antibiotics in combating key multidrug-resistant pathogens, which, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), are classified as the highest risk group, posing the greatest threat to public health and the greatest challenge to modern medicine. These pathogens include the bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii, which is resistant to carbapenem antibiotics, and Enterobacterales bacilli, which are resistant to third-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems.
‘We expect that the ongoing research will demonstrate the potential of photodynamic antimicrobial inactivation as a method that significantly increases the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy against multidrug-resistant bacteria,’ says prof. Mariusz Grinholc. ‘In particular, we expect to restore the sensitivity of drug-resistant strains to various classes of antibiotics and to confirm that the effect obtained covers numerous microorganisms representing different resistance mechanisms.’
As part of the project, the scientist would also like to explain the mechanism of the observed phenomenon and demonstrate that the combination of aPDI with antibiotics is safe for potential patients and does not exhibit any toxic effects.
‘Ultimately, I expect that as a result of the project, we will be able to develop a new, effective and safe therapeutic strategy that will increase the number of available treatment options for infections caused by critical multidrug-resistant pathogens,’ concludes prof. Mariusz Grinholc.