Ellie Hansen

• BSc (Hons) Biomedical Genetics
• Exploring fungal-specific aspects of ribosome production to find new ways to protect global food security and human health

My project aimed to investigate how ribosomes are produced in fungal cells, particularly to try and identify fungi-specific aspects of ribosome production. Functional ribosomes are essential, as the ribosomes produce all the proteins needed for the cell to survive. Drugs that interfere with the ribosome production machinery can be used in order to kill cells. Therefore, investigating this process in fungal cells could provide insights into new targets for antifungal drugs.

Fungal contamination is a significant contributor to food spoilage globally. Antifungal drugs that specifically target fungal cells could reduce spoilage, without impacting the food itself. This addresses UN sustainability goal 2, as it aims to prevent food wastage. Pathogenic fungi present a globally significant issue, as per year over 150 million people contract severe fungal infections worldwide, resulting in approximately 1.7 million deaths. Finding new drug targets to address this issue is critical and addresses UN sustainability goal 3. 

Funding source: Newcastle University

Project supervisor: Dr Claudia Schneider