Public Lecture – “New antibiotics that target outer membrane lipids of Gram-negative bacteria”
The lecture is presented by the Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong. Details of the lecture are as follows:
Theme: “New antibiotics that target outer membrane lipids of Gram-negative bacteria”
Date: 15.3.10
Time: 5:30 pm (Refreshments from 5 pm)
Place: Wang Gungwu Lecture Hall, Graduate House, HKU
Medium: English
Admission: Free
In this lecture, Professor Christian R H Raetz will discuss the discovery of his team on the ten-step biosynthetic pathway for generating the lipid A (endotoxin) component of lipopolysaccharide, which makes up the outer surface of the outer membrane of gram negative bacteria like E. coli. Their studies have culminated in identification of inhibitors of the second enzyme in the pathway (LpxC), which show potent antibiotic activity against multi-drug resistant pathogens. The eludcidation of lipid A system illustrates the critical interplay of basic and applied research in new drug development.