INNOTARGETS (https://innotargets.ku.dk/about/) is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie training network, in which five universities in Europe (Copenhagen, DK; Wageningen, NL; Barcelona, ES; Sassari, IT and Duesseldorf, GE) have joined forces with two research organizations (CRESA, ES and Porto Conte Ricerche, IT) and two antimicrobial discovery companies (Naicons, IT and ABAC, ES) to train 12 doctoral students in aspects related to identification of novel antimicrobials. Topics span from basic research into molecular host pathogen interaction, in situ modelling of the metabolism of pathogenic bacteria during infection, understanding responses in antimicrobial resistant bacteria to treatment with the antimicrobials to which they are resistant, understanding mechanisms behind increases in transfer frequency of some resistance-plasmids due to treatment with antimicrobials, novel screening platforms for antimicrobials and antimicrobial helper-drugs, and faster ways to perform toxicity screens of drug-candidates (Figure). Doctoral students in the network are trained with a unique combination of microbiology and mathematical modelling skills, as well as soft skills related to science communication, data management, drug development, IPR-rights, and general industry perspectives on research – making them putative key persons in society"s fight to keep up with the everlasting resistance development in pathogenic bacteria.
This project has received funding from the European Union"s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 956154