Gene Pathway Discovered to Participate in the Development of Antibiotic-Resistance in Bacteria
Researchers are investigating a novel pathway critical for controlling antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
antibiotics
Antibiotic Persistence and Resistance
by Molly Sargen
Antibiotics are drugs that kill or inhibit the growth of microbes, including bacteria and fungi. These drugs work by blocking essential processes like protein production, DNA replication, and cell division. After Alexander Fleming’s…
Mapping Individual Microbes among the Multitudes
by Sophia Swartzfigures by Jasmin Joseph-Chazan
If you put all of the living things on Earth in a box–from humans to anteaters to teeny-tiny tardigrades–and then plucked one of these organisms out at random, it is very, very likely that you just found…
Phages Can Help Slow the Spread of Antibiotic Resistance
We can fight antibiotic resistance using phages that detach hair-like structures from bacterial cells to slow the spread of antibiotic resistance DNA.
Artificial Intelligence - our new MVP against infections?
In order to combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, a group of scientists from MIT are using artificial intelligence to discover new and effective antibiotics. They were able to predict a powerful new antibiotic compound that is effective…
Have antibiotic resistant bacteria met their match? A new method for antibiotic discovery that could change the arms race.
Antibiotic resistance is a rampant problem around the world. More than 23,000 deaths a year in the US are a result of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics in several ways. The antibiotic itself can be broken down, or…
Bacteriophage: A solution to our antibiotics problem?
by Veerasak “Jeep” Srisuknimit
figures by Jovana Andrejevic
Our time with antibiotics is running out. In 2016, a woman in Nevada died from a bacterial infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae that was resistant to all available antibiotics. Bacteria…
Expanding the Antibiotic Arsenal: A New Drug of Last Resort
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. Photo Credit: Janice Haney Carr Content Providers: CDC.
Prior to the discovery of antibiotics, bacterial infections were the leading cause of death worldwide. Now, treating infections is often a routine procedure –…
Reversing Resistance: How to teach old antibiotics new tricks
High-resolution microscope image of antibiotic-resistant bacteria killing a white blood cell. [Image ‘Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Bacteria’ from NIAID]It’s an all-too-common refrain nowadays, but antibiotic resistance…
Say Goodbye to Antibacterial Soaps: Why the FDA is banning a household item
by Gabriel W. Rangel
figures by Michael Gerhardt
How many times per day do you wash your hands? Do you ever think about the type of soap you use? We all know handwashing with soap is an impactful way to maintain health by decreasing the risk of becoming…