Last Friday, March 21, our colleague Javier Blanco successfully defended his doctoral thesis entitled “Characterization of bioactive molecules with antimicrobial activity against human and animal pathogens” at the University of Extremadura. This research is part of an industrial doctorate developed in collaboration between the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the Faculty of Medicine and Ingulados, and represents a decisive step in our commitment to scientific innovation applied to animal and human health.

A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND BUSINESS

The work combines the potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), the basis of the products developed by Ingulados, with current challenges in public and veterinary health, such as the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. This collaboration has allowed us to explore new applications of our BAL strains, both in aquaculture and in human medicine.

STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS

The thesis is divided into three interrelated blocks, ranging from the isolation and development of a supplement aimed at the agricultural sector, to the application of this technology in human health clinical settings.

Block I: New isolates of LAB for aquaculture

In a first phase, a nutritional supplement for aquaculture was developed, thus expanding Ingulados’ portfolio of solutions. BAL were isolated from aquatic ecosystems and a strain with high antimicrobial activity was selected and validated by an in vivo model against the pathogen Photobacterium damselae. This line of research opens the door to the development of specific products for the aquaculture sector.

Block II: Bioinformatics analysis of bacteriocins

The second part focused on the search, using bioinformatics tools, for specific antimicrobial molecules, known as bacteriocins, in the genome of the most promising strains of our BAL-Ingulates collection. Six bacteriocins with a high probability of expression were identified, responsible for the inhibitory effect against other pathogenic microorganisms.

Block III: Evaluation against multidrug-resistant pathogens

The third block evaluated the activity of these bacteriocins against multidrug-resistant human pathogens, such as Enterococcus faecium, isolated at the University Hospital of Badajoz. Among them, Enterocin A stood out for its potent antimicrobial effect and its synergy with conventional antibiotics such as tetracycline. This finding suggests that molecules such as Enterocin A could be integrated into therapeutic strategies against infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens.

CONCLUSIONS

Javier Blanco’s doctoral thesis demonstrates the value of integrating basic science with applied research. Lactic acid bacteria and their derived products not only have a positive impact on animal health and food safety, but also present a clinical potential in human health, contributing to curb the global threat of antibiotic resistance.

At Ingulados, we celebrate the award of the degree of Doctor in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Biomedicine and Biotechnology to our colleague, within the doctoral program of the University of Extremadura. This work was funded through the Industrial Doctorate program (ref. DIN2020-011251), and consolidates our commitment to cutting-edge research committed to the health challenges of the present and the future.