Fleming's penicillin discovery in 1928 marked the start of the antibiotic era, but overuse since the 1970s has led to widespread antibiotic resistance, impacting treatments for diseases like tuberculosis.
1.27M
An article in "The Lancet" in 2022 confirmed that 1.27 million deaths were directly attributable to antimicrobial drug resistance in 2019. Predictions assume that by 2050, if resistance is left unchecked, AMR will cause up to 10 million deaths each year.
Wastewater, especially from healthcare facilities, contributes to the development and spread of antimicrobial-resistant germs. Although wastewater treatment plants reduce contaminants in wastewater, some antibiotic and antifungal residues and resistant germs remain.
B.L.I.S.S strives to enhance the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of antibiotic detection while promoting awareness about antibiotic misuse.
To attain this goal, we develop a user-friendly whole-cell biosensor embedded in paper strips or bobas for the convenient detection of ß-lactam antibiotics. We further enhance its specificity towards specific ß-lactam antibiotics using computational techniques.
Through engagement with experts and connecting with professionals from wastewater plants and healthcare facilities, we have successfully garnered positive responses for our project.
In our final efforts, we've effectively raised awareness about the issue of antibiotic misuse and its repercussions by engaging with schools and actively promoting awareness in public.
Explore
About us
At the Goethe University Frankfurt, we are an interdisciplinary team of dedicated students from diverse faculties, including Biochemistry, Biology, Bioinformatics, Cell Biology, and Biophysics. Our primary project is centered on enhancing the accessibility of antibiotic detection methods, ensuring that they are more widely available and understood. In addition to our scientific endeavors, we are fervently dedicated to raising awareness regarding the dangers and consequences of improper antibiotic use, striving for a world where antibiotics are used responsibly and effectively.
