Kate Brandin
Major: Biology/History
Research Location: University of Notre Dame
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections have surged in recent decades, becoming one of the largest worldwide public health threats. With traditional therapies against these infections becoming less viable, necessitating the development of novel treatments is crucial. One potential alternative is repurposing antifungals against bacteria, and that is what Kate looked into this summer. Kate's research project aimed to identify anti-fungal scaffolds that can be explored as possible single-therapy antibiotics or combination therapy antibacterials. She found around 10 antifungals that were effective against multiple strains of bacteria that will be explored by the Melander lab in the future.
Kate says, "After graduating from Notre Dame, I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular biology, microbiology, cellular biology, or biochemistry. I aim to continue my research on antibiotic resistance and develop solutions to this global problem. This research project gave me exposure to diverse methods to investigate solutions to the antibiotic resistance crisis, ultimately aiding my research trajectory in graduate school. Furthermore, this research supported my thesis on the history of bacteriophage therapy by broadening my exposure to contemporary work done in the field of antibiotic resistance. After completion of my Ph.D., I intend to continue developing alternatives to antibiotics, whether in academia or the biotechnology industry."