Soil bacteria are our hidden pharmacy

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About the research

Did you know that during a walk in the woods, you walk across a hidden pharmacy?🚢🏻 🌳

Soil is chock-full of bacteria, and those soil bacteria naturally produce substances that serve as the basis for antibiotics and other drugs. 🦠 Anne-Sofie De Rop (Ghent University - FWO) tracks down these invisible pharmacists by taking soil samples, and analyzing the DNA of the bacteria to discover new medications. πŸ”¬ Thanks to smart mathematical models, she can also find out more quickly which interesting new medicines the bacteria have in 'store' in their pharmacy  πŸ₯

On your next walk in the woods, consider that the medicine of the future may just be under your feet!

Health
Anne-Sofie De Rop
FWO - UGent

As a child, Anne-Sofie was already fascinated by nature and its mysteries. This passion led her to pursue a degree in bioscience engineering, and now she is doing a PhD. She has a huge interest in the wondrous world of bacteria and their potential to make our planet more sustainable. Therefore, she is investigating soil bacteria that produce medicines: a hidden pharmacy!

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