IIT Roorkee Discovered Unique Antibacterial Molecule Why In News?

• 13 Mar 2023

Why In News?

• According to information received from the media on March 11, 2023, researchers at IIT Roorkee, Uttarakhand have discovered an antibacterial molecule that, when used with drugs, will not only prevent infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, rather, it will also end drug resistance.

Key points

• The institute has named this molecule as IITR 00693. The findings of this research by IIT Roorkee have been published in the prestigious American Chemical Society Journal ACS Infectious Diseases.
• The research team includes Ashish Kothari and Balram Umar from Rishikesh AIIMS, besides Varsha Gupta from Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh. Mehak Saini and Amit Gaurav from IIT Roorkee are also part of the team.
• Professor Ranjana Pathania, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Roorkee, who led the research team, told that they are now working to develop the molecule as a behavioural therapeutic agent. Its clinical trial can be started soon.
• This new molecule of IIT will also have an effective effect on Gram-positive and negative bacteria. Apart from lung, intestine, joint and skin infections, this molecule will also give better results when given with other antibacterial medicines in infections spreading in the burning state.
• This new molecule will soon eliminate resistance to the drug during the treatment of deadly infections in delicate parts of the body and skin.