Paul Pe“Antibiotic resistance is a growing global public health problem as a silent pandemic,” says Rakesh Tiwari, assistant professor of biopharmaceutical and biomedical sciences at Chapman University’s School of Pharmacy. “The mortality rate due to resistant bacteria is expected to reach 10 million per year globally by 2050 unless new antibiotics are discovered.”
To combat the dangers of drug-resistant bacteria, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) granted Chapman University and AJK Biopharmaceutical nearly $600,000 to find a solution.
Tiwari and AJK Biopharmaceutical’s joint project, “Development of Broad-Spectrum Cyclic Amphiphilic Peptides against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria,” will use the funding to develop new antibiotics and prevent the emerging health crisis.
“Our long-term goal is to have an arsenal of antibiotics that are effective against multi-drug resistant pathogenic bacteria available before the silent pandemic occurs in the next few years,” says Tiwari. “Based on our current data and strategy, we will develop a new generation of lead molecules and evaluate their antibacterial activity against resistant strains.”
According to Tiwari, the pharmaceutical industry faces financial barriers that limit the development of newer antibiotics.
“The investment will help accelerate the discovery and development of novel antibiotics,” says Tiwari. “If Congress passes the bipartisan PASTEUR Act as expected, there will be more coordinated efforts and significant investments by the United States government to support research in this field, improving preparedness for this worldwide looming health crisis.”
About Chapman University
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university located in Southern California. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution and offers personalized education to more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Based in the city of Orange, Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. In 2019, the university opened its 11th college, Fowler School of Engineering, in its newest facility, Keck Center for Science and Engineering. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.
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Media Contact:
Cerise Valenzuela Metzger, Director of Public Relations, cmetzger@chapman.edu
Desk: 714-289-3143 Mobile: 657-390-6760
Paul Pe, Public Relations Coordinator, ppe@chapman.edu
Desk: 714-289-3181 Mobile: 714-497-9683
Photo caption:
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded Chapman University associate professor Rakesh Tiwari a nearly $600,000 grant to aid his research in developing antibiotics effective against drug-resistant bacteria.
