Sharifa Fatao, a Research Assistant in the Department of Chemistry at the College of Science, has presented research exploring a promising new approach to tackling drug-resistant infections at the 7th Commonwealth Chemistry Poster Event.
Sharifa presented the study, ''Computational Re-engineering Transforms a Venom Peptide into Potent Antimicrobial Variants with Improved Membrane Selectivity'', at the annual event organized by Commonwealth Chemistry in partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry.
The poster event brings together researchers from across the Commonwealth to showcase scientific innovations that contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.
The research examined a natural compound found in scorpion venom and explored how computer-guided design could improve its ability to fight harmful bacteria. The researchers were able to redesign the compound to make it more effective against bacteria while reducing its impact on healthy human cells.
According to the research team, the findings demonstrate how modern computational tools can help scientists improve naturally occurring compounds before they are tested in the laboratory. This approach could make the search for new medicines faster, more efficient, and more cost-effective.
The study comes at a time when antimicrobial resistance, thus the ability of bacteria to resist existing medicines, continues to threaten global health. As many antibiotics become less effective, researchers are increasingly looking to nature for new compounds that can be developed into future treatments.
The research was conducted by Sharifa Fatao, Stephenson Obeng Owusu, and Michael Konney Laryea of the Department of Chemistry under the supervision of Professor Lawrence Sheringham Borquaye, who heads the KNUST Central Laboratory.
Sharifa's presentation at the international event highlights the College of Science's growing contribution to research that addresses global health challenges and demonstrates KNUST's commitment to developing innovative, science-driven solutions with real-world impact.
