La Trobe scientists have made a pivotal discovery in the fight against dangerous drug-resistant bacteria, as the University launches a major research initiative focussed on new ways to target antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
AMR is a major and growing global problem. In 2021, drug-resistant infections killed about 1.14 million people globally - the equivalent of 3,100 deaths per day, 130 deaths per hour and about two deaths per minute. By 2050, if new treatments are not developed, up to 8.22 million people are expected to die each year from AMR-associated infections.
La Trobe University has committed to overcoming this critical issue with the launch of the Research and Engagement for Antimicrobial Resistance and Community Health (REACH) initiative.
REACH brings together the expertise of scientists in the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS) with clinicians and members of the community impacted by antimicrobial resistance to find new ways to prevent and treat pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses.
Significant work in the field is already well underway, with LIMS researchers recently identifying a key bacterial function that may pave the way for new treatments for drug-resistant infections.
In the study, led by then PhD student Taylor Cunliffe (pictured) in Professor Begoña Heras's laboratory at LIMS, and in collaboration with Queensland University of Technology, researchers focussed on a protein that helps 'turn on' the tools bacteria need to make us sick.
The research sought to understand how the protein - DsbA - works so that it could be 'turned down' to weaken bacteria and make infections easier to treat without directly killing the organisms, helping to slow down the development of AMR.
Taylor said they had made a major breakthrough by identifying the precise regions of the protein responsible for its activity.
She said the discovery had fundamental and applied impact, providing a strong foundation for future drug development.
"This research provides a strong foundation for developing new antivirulence therapies and highlights a promising strategy for tackling the global challenge of antibiotic resistance," Taylor said.
The findings have now been published in Communications Biology.
REACH will draw on the significant expertise of highly regarded La Trobe scientists including:
- Professor Begoña Heras, LIMS Infection & Immunity Research Program co-lead
- Associate Professor Ashley Mansell, LIMS Infection & Immunity Research Program co-lead
- Professor Steve Petrovski, phage expert and Head of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology at the School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment (SABE)
- Dr Wenyi Li, LIMS Synthetic Biology Research Program co-leader
- Prof Mark Hulett, expert in antimicrobial peptides and innate immune defence mechanisms
- Dr Jason Paxman, expert in structural biology and anti-virulence agents
- Prof Marilyn Anderson and Dr Kathy Parisi, experts in antifungal therapies
Professor Heras said REACH takes a new approach to addressing antimicrobial resistance, combining cutting-edge molecular science with clinical insight and community engagement to develop more effective and sustainable solutions.
"Antimicrobial resistance cannot be solved by antibiotics alone. It requires new ways of understanding and targeting infection, across the pathogen, the host and the broader environment," Professor Heras said.
"Through REACH, we are bringing together expertise across disciplines to develop innovative therapeutics, improve diagnostics, and better understand how immune responses shape infection outcomes, particularly in communities most affected by infectious disease."
The initiative will explore a range of approaches, including targeting bacterial virulence mechanisms, harnessing natural immune defences such as antimicrobial peptides and defensins, and leveraging bacteriophages as alternatives to conventional antibiotics.
REACH also places strong emphasis on community-informed research and translation, with a focus on improving infection prevention and treatment in rural and underserved populations.
Read the full paper here: A universal cis-proline lock defines catalysis in thioredoxin-fold enzymes | Communications Biology
REACH will be launched at La Trobe University's Melbourne campus at Bundoora on Thursday, May 7. The event will feature presentations from La Trobe researchers and an overview of the REACH vision, including plans to seed interdisciplinary projects and support new collaborative research programs.
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-026-10010-8
