Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Research Science (CSRS) and the University of Toronto have discovered a new way to attack fungal infections. The key is to block fungi from being able to make fatty acids, the major component of fats. Resistance to anti-fungal drugs is increasing and this new approach will be particularly useful because it works in a new way and affects a broad range of fungal species. The study was published in the scientific journal Cell Chemical Biology.
Most of us are familiar with athlete’s foot, a relatively harmless health issue that can be solved by a trip to the drug store. But other fungal infections are more serious, and the Candida, Cryptococcus, and Aspergillus types of fungus are responsible for millions of deaths every year. Like bacterial resistance to antibiotics, fungal resistance to medications is also growing worldwide, and the death…
