Candida albicans is a kind of yeast mold that all of us carry on our skin. For healthy people it is harmless. It can become dangerous, however, when the immune system is weak or when it gets into the bloodstream where it can infest inner organs.
The project group "Biological Systems Analysis" is studying how molecular mechanisms of potential antibiotics work against Candida albicans. There are two ways of approaching the problem: from the host side, macrophages, the killer cells of the immune system, can be stimulated and activated in such a way as to improve their defenses against the mold. From the pathogen side, substances can be introduced that that weaken the yeast's defenses against attacks by the immune system.
A number of biologically active substances with known chemical formula structures have been studied and characterized in detail with respect to their inhibitory effectiveness against C. albicans and other yeasts. Now, we are looking for the sources of their effectiveness. The researchers, in particular, are looking at stress defense reactions and changes in mold metabolisms under the influence of bioactive substances. They are also searching for binding partners for molecules and are using mutants in which individual genes have been inactivated.
Overall, we are seeking a better understanding of the processes involved that make C. albicans infectious. Using the data, we also hope to develop mathematical models that reflect the mold's reactions, with which it would then be possible to predict the effectiveness of, or targets for, new biologically active substances. In turn, this would allow us to specifically interfere in the pathogen's own immune defenses.