Scientists from Palacký University Olomouc (UP) and the Technical University of Ostrava (VSB-TUO), in collaboration with colleagues from China, have discovered a groundbreaking method for developing a new generation of antibiotics. These antibiotics not only combat a wide range of bacteria but also effectively prevent the development of bacterial resistance. By employing atomic engineering, the researchers transformed manganese—a trace element vital for human health—into a potent antibiotic by embedding it in the structure of chemically modified graphene. Tests conducted on animal models have demonstrated the material’s significant potential, particularly in localized therapies such as wound healing. The discovery <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202410652"><a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">has been published in the prestigious journal Advanced Materials</a></a>, and the team has filed a European patent to safeguard their innovation.“The material we developed successfully kills and inhibits the growth of all bacteria we studied, including highly resistant pathogens. It operates at low concentrations, which are completely harmless to human cells. Furthermore, bacteria cannot develop resistance to it, thus addressing one of modern medicine’s most pressing challenges. These promising results position atomic antibiotics for practical use in the near future,” said Radek Zbořil, a physical chemist and author of the research concept, who works at the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN UP) and the Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies (CEET) at VSB-TUO.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/UPOL_CATRIN_Atomarni_antibiotika_vyvinuta_ceskymi_vedci_dokazi_celit_rezistenci_bakterii_1_c0df4320e4.jpg" alt="CATRIN UP: Atomic Antibiotics Developed by Czech Scientists Counter Bacterial Resistance." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_UPOL_CATRIN_Atomarni_antibiotika_vyvinuta_ceskymi_vedci_dokazi_celit_rezistenci_bakterii_1_c0df4320e4.jpg 110w," sizes="100vw" width="724" height="1024">A Frontal Attack with Manganese In developing this antibiotic, the scientists drew on their expertise in graphene chemistry and atomic engineering, fields they have extensively studied in recent years. This time, they utilized a graphene derivative enriched with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, chemically incorporating manganese—a transition metal that is involved in metabolism, bone formation, blood sugar regulation and cellular protection against oxidative stress. &nbsp;&nbsp;“We chose to target one of the strongest defences of bacteria—the carbohydrates in their cell walls and membranes, which are crucial for their survival. These carbohydrates play a protective role, facilitate substance transfer, enable communication with the environment, and serve as energy reserves. By chemically binding manganese to specific carbohydrate groups, we suppressed these critical functions, ultimately causing cell death. The graphene carrier plays an essential role by ensuring the delivery of manganese ions to the bacterial surface, which enables a direct chemical attack on the carbohydrate molecules,” Zbořil explained.Effective Against Even the Most Resistant Bacteria The new material also shows remarkable efficacy against bacteria that existing antibiotics struggle to combat. “We observed an excellent bactericidal effect against all bacteria from the ESCAPE group, which includes highly resistant bacterial pathogens. These bacteria are particularly dangerous because they are resistant to conventional antibiotics, which complicates treatment and increases the risk of severe infections, especially in hospital settings. The atomic antibiotic was the only agent that proved effective against all resistant bacteria, compared to commercial antibiotics,” said David Panáček, the first author of the paper, from CATRIN UP and CEET VSB-TUO.The researchers tested the atomic antibiotic’s effect not only in laboratory settings but also in mouse models in collaboration with their Chinese colleagues. “In in-vivo tests, skin infections caused by resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (golden staph) healed quickly and effectively, with all markers of inflammation significantly reduced. We are now considering its use for wound dressings or antibacterial treatments on surfaces of artificial materials. There is tremendous potential to prevent bacterial biofilms from forming on devices such as artificial joint replacements, stents, or cannulas. Given its mode of action, this new material could also help prevent secondary infections, which would have a major impact on healthcare,” said Milan Kolář, a microbiologist and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at Palacký University Olomouc, who played a key role in the research.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/UPOL_CATRIN_Atomarni_antibiotika_vyvinuta_ceskymi_vedci_dokazi_celit_rezistenci_bakterii_2_660a9da734.jpg" alt="CATRIN UP: Atomic Antibiotics Developed by Czech Scientists Counter Bacterial Resistance." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_UPOL_CATRIN_Atomarni_antibiotika_vyvinuta_ceskymi_vedci_dokazi_celit_rezistenci_bakterii_2_660a9da734.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1024" height="598">Atomic Antibiotics Open New Possibilities The research team plans to continue exploring the material’s potential for systemic antibiotic treatments. “Some serious infections are now untreatable with existing antibiotics, and bacterial sepsis is becoming an increasingly common cause of death. We aim to test atomic antibiotics’ effectiveness in treating the most severe bacterial diseases,” Kolář added.According to the United Nations, if bacterial resistance continues to rise at its current pace, by 2050 untreatable infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria could become the leading cause of death worldwide. These so-called ‘superbugs’ pose a global threat, necessitating the development of new antibacterial agents that can bypass the defence mechanisms bacteria use to protect themselves. This research, which also involved colleagues from the Faculty of Science at Palacký University Olomouc and two Chinese institutions, highlights the untapped potential of atomic engineering in addressing one of humanity’s most urgent scientific and social challenges.The research was supported by the projects TECHSCALE, 2D-BioPAD, and REFRESH.

Atomic Antibiotics Developed by Czech Scientists Counter Bacterial Resistance

A special photocatalytic material based on graphitic carbon nitride, developed at the University of Ostrava and VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava can effectively break down antibiotics and other pharmaceutical substances that commonly used wastewater treatment technologies are generally unable to remove, meaning drug residues end up in waterways via the sewer system. This is the conclusion of research conducted in collaboration with experts from the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the Faculty of Science, Palacký University.The study’s results were published in the international journal iScience. The scientists will continue to test the potential use of the photocatalytic material in wastewater treatment.<div><blockquote>“Analytical chemistry plays a crucial role in the development of new environmental technologies.” Petr Bednář</blockquote></div>The research team focused on the efficiency of photocatalysis, a process in which a special light-activated material triggers chemical reactions that break down organic pollutants in water. The graphitic carbon nitride used contains no metals, is chemically stable, and works not only under ultraviolet radiation but also under ordinary visible light.“Laboratory experiments showed that within two hours, the material was able to remove more than 95 percent of the antibiotic ofloxacin and the drug diclofenac. In the case of caffeine, the efficiency reached approximately 80 percent,” said Petr Bednář from the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the Faculty of Science.The experts also described the degradation mechanisms and, using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry, identified the intermediates formed during the ongoing reactions. The results suggest that most of these substances pose a lower environmental burden than the original drugs. “Without modern analytical methods, we would not be able to determine whether harmful substances actually degrade safely and what chemical processes occur during water treatment. Analytical chemistry therefore plays a crucial role in the development of new environmental technologies,” noted Petr Bednář.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/KACH_UPOL_Novy_material_pomaha_rozkladat_antibiotika_v_odpadnich_vodach_04bd4942d4.jpg" alt="UPOL/Petr Bednář: New material helps break down antibiotics in wastewater: A combination of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry used to measure antibiotic degradation products. " srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_KACH_UPOL_Novy_material_pomaha_rozkladat_antibiotika_v_odpadnich_vodach_04bd4942d4.jpg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1280" height="960"><blockquote><h4>Original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(25)02160-1">Photocatalytic degradation and transformation of pharmaceuticals using exfoliated metal-free g-C3N4</a></h4>Petr Praus, Anna Gavlová, Jan Hrbáč, Kristina Schmidtová, Petr BednářPraus et al., 2025, iScience 28, 113899<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.113899">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.113899</a><h6>licensed under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote><h4>Abstract</h4>Pharmaceuticals are micropollutants of global concern that contribute to environmental contamination alongside other anthropogenic and natural chemical compounds. This study addresses the photocatalytic degradation of model pharmaceutical compounds ofloxacin, diclofenac, and caffeine using bulk and thermally exfoliated graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). Bulk g-C3N4 was synthesized from dicyandiamide at 550°C and exfoliated at 500 °C for 1-3 h in an ambient atmosphere. The structural, textural, and electronic properties of the prepared materials were evaluated.Graphitic carbon nitride exfoliated for 2 h provided the best photocatalytic degradation efficiencies (&gt;95%) for both ofloxacin and diclofenac and approximately 80% for caffeine, determined for 120 min under irradiation at 420 nm. The pharmaceuticals were degraded, and their intermediate degradation products were investigated using liquid chromatography combined with high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. The successful identification of the main degradation products allowed us to propose transformation pathways for the studied pharmaceuticals.

New material helps break down antibiotics in wastewater

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Palacký University Olomouc (UP) is an internationally respected and scientifically and academically highly productive university in Central Europe. Founded 22 December 1573, it is the second-oldest university in the Czech Republic and the oldest one in Moravia. For 450 years it has contributed to the intellectual wealth of society and to its scientific, cultural, and social development.

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