Preserve the Power – taking the fight against antimicrobial resistance to the big screen

Attention, movie fans and aspiring filmmakers of Australia – a generous cash prize is on offer for the winners of a national short film competition, called ‘Preserve the Power’. The contest, created in partnership between NPS MedicineWise and American Express Openair Cinemas, is intended to spread awareness about the danger of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Each … Read more

How was New Scientist Live 2017? A visitor’s experience

On Sunday, I managed to visit New Scientist Live for the last day of this year’s show. It’s the second year for the event, being previously awarded ‘Event of the Year’ by the British Media Awards, and when I saw the range of exciting and engaging (and some quite bizarre) exhibits and talks they had … Read more

The Mla pathway – a potential Achilles heel for gram-negative bacteria?

Researchers from the University of California San Diego have identified a potential new target against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections – which could be applied to help treat all gram-negative infections. It was found that by interfering with the Mla pathway in P. aeruginosa, the bacteria became more permeable, and more susceptible to immune components. P. aeruginosa, … Read more

New study highlights the prevalence of resistance genes in Kenya

The bacterial species Klebsiella may contribute to a dangerously high level of antibiotic resistance in Kenya, a recent study suggests. Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study is a collaborative effort between institutions including the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). In many developing nations, the occurrence of … Read more

A triple modified form of vancomycin boosts the drug’s antibacterial power

A modified form of vancomycin gives the drug key advantages which could greatly boost its efficiency against dangerous bacteria and reduce the chances of resistant strains developing, new research shows. The study, conducted by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in the US, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of … Read more

Not just a tasty snack – maple syrup can boost the power of antibiotics

Enjoy maple syrup with your pancakes? An ongoing study suggests that the popular kitchen companion contains extracts which could boost the power of antibiotics, significantly reducing the amount of drug needed to kill infectious bacteria. On the 2nd April, Dr. Nathalie Tufenkji presented the latest information on the study at the ‘253rd National Meeting & Exposition … Read more

Saving your eyesight: New research suggests chlorin e6 could protect against bacterial keratitis

A structure known as chlorin e6 (Ce6) could be used in photodynamic inactivation (PDI) therapy to protect patient’s eyes from the dangerous effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis, new research has shown. The paper, which was published on 15th March 2017 in Nature Scientific Reports, showed that when the eyes of mice were infected with multi-drug … Read more

Gene discovered which can prevent the emergence of drug-resistant TB

New research has highlighted a gene, NucS, which can prevent tuberculosis-causing bacteria from mutating into antibiotic resistant strains. The work was carried out by scientists from the University of Sussex, UK, and the Centro Nacional de Biotechnologia, Madrid, and was published on the 27th January 2017 in Nature Communications. NucS is a gene which is … Read more

ClyF – a novel chimeolysin with a grudge against MRSA

Scientists have discovered a novel lysin which could be a valuable new tool in the fight against MRSA. The paper, which was published on January 9th in Nature, highlighted a novel chimeric lysin, called ClyF, which showed promising activity against MRSA both in vitro and in murine infection models, in vivo. From a library of … Read more

A living antibiotic?

We may have found a new ally in the fight against antibiotic resistance… though it might not be what you’d expect. Researchers have found exciting evidence to suggest that a predatory bacteria, Bdellovibro bacteriovirus, could be used to deal with dangerous bacterial infections as a ‘living antibiotic’. The study, published on the 23rd November in … Read more