Microbiology

Biography

Biography: Joachim Wink

Abstract

Since the discovery of the bactericidal effect of penicillin by Alexander Fleming, micro-organisms play an important role as antibiotic producers. During the 40^th to the 60^th of the last century, these were particularly the actinomycetes isolated from soil samples which have dominated the golden age of the antibiotic research. Caused by the false assumption that with these active substances the problem of the infectious illnesses is solved, most pharmaceutical companies dropped their antibiotic research. The development of resistance of many germs, particularly in the hospitals as well as the return of presumed to be dead illnesses like the tuberculosis has moved the antibiotic research, however, just during the last years again in a new light. Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig has dealt during the last years intensely with the search for new antibiotics and, besides, has laid its main focus on two groups of ground-living bacteria. These are on the one hand furthermore the Actinobacteria, the biggest class in the empire of the bacteria with still high potential, and on the other hand the Myxobacteria, a group of the gliding bacteria whose cultivation owns a long tradition in Braunschweig. The biology and active substance production of these both groups as well as the approach in the HZI with the search for new active substances is introduced.