“Natural products from microorganisms: uncovering biosynthesis and expanding diversity”

Most of the bioactive molecules used in medicine and crop protection are made by microorganisms (fungi and bacteria). For instance, penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics are isolated from fungi and represent together 47% ($19.8 billion) of the global antibiotic market. Similarly, abamectin is derived from soil bacteria and is one of the most widely used insecticides in crop protection, with a global market of $938 million every year.

Developing novel bioactive molecules is crucial in order to provide the humankind with alternative and improved drugs and biopesticides. In this context, the two main aims of my research have been to:

1. Understand how the bioactive compounds currently used as drugs are made by microorganisms, in order to improve their production and develop more potent derivatives;

2. Discover new bioactive compounds from microorganisms that could lead to novel drugs.

I will present the highlights of my research findings to date and provide an outlook on the research that I am currently carrying out on bioactive compounds from fungi and actinomycete bacteria.