Why a metalloantibiotics meeting
Antimicrobial resistance already causes more than a million deaths each year, and the pipeline of new antibiotics is running dry. Metal complexes have emerged as a promising source of new antibiotics: in large phenotypic screens they show higher hit rates against critical bacterial pathogens than purely organic molecules, without higher rates of toxicity. Their three-dimensional structures and access to mechanisms such as ligand exchange, catalysis and photoactivation set them apart from conventional drugs.
The field has grown rapidly over the last two decades, from scattered reports of bioactive metal compounds to in-depth mechanistic and in vivo studies and preclinical development. But the community remains fragmented across meetings in bioinorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, microbiology and antimicrobial resistance.
Aims
- Create a dedicated forum for researchers developing metal-based antimicrobials and experts from adjacent fields.
- Assess the state of the field and identify the scientific and translational barriers between promising compounds and the clinic.
- Give PhD students and early-career researchers the chance to present their work and build their networks.
- Produce a community Perspective setting out a roadmap for the field.
We hope ISMA will be the first in a recurring series of meetings.
Organiser
Dr Angelo Frei, Department of Chemistry, University of York.
Code of conduct
ISMA is committed to being a welcoming, respectful and inclusive meeting for everyone. Harassment and discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. If you experience or witness behaviour that concerns you, please speak to the organiser or email email address (requires JavaScript).