Biology: Antibiotics - Biology and Chemistry

<p>BIOR56</p><p>Antibiotics are very important compounds. The majority of all known antibiotics are produced by bacteria. Antibiotics were once regarded as miracle drugs. However, they are becoming less effective as bacteria develop resistance against them. The increasing occurrence of micro-organisms that are resistant to multiple antibiotics constitutes a serious threat to human health. The course addresses fundamental questions and problems concerning antibiotics. What is the role of antibiotics in nature? How are they synthesized? What are their modes of action? How can new antibiotics be discovered? How can we attack problems with antibiotic resistant micro-organisms? The course brings a comprehensive understanding of the biology and chemistry of antibiotics. It provides insight into bacterial physiology and also industrial and clinical aspects of antibiotics and about evolution of antibiotic resistance.</p>