Bacteria and Antibiotics: Revenge of the Microbes

What are bacteria? How do antibiotics work? And what can we do about increasing antibiotic resistance? Jenny Rohn, scientist and novelist, investigates the fascinating world of bacteria in this Friday Evening Discourse event from the Ri.
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Watch the Q&A: • Revenge of the Microbe...
Bacteria are our ancient enemies, evolving ever more clever ways of outmanoeuvring our natural defences and scientific technologies. For millennia, a simple cut or cough could kill. With the development of antibiotics, it seemed we would reign supreme.
But now the bacteria are again gaining ground.
With antibiotic resistance on the rise, and the development of new drugs having stagnated for decades, we humans might be in a lot of trouble very soon. Why are bacteria so insidious, what tricks do they employ to get the upper hand, and what can we do to stop them? Join Dr Jenny Rohn to explore these questions.
Dr Jenny Rohn received a BA in Biology from Oberlin College, Ohio, where she developed an interest in viruses and cancer before moving to the University of Washington for her PhD research into the evolution of feline leukaemia virus.
After working as a researcher at Cancer Research UK and working in the biotechology industry in The Netherlands, Jenny gained a Wellcome Trust fellowship to study cell shape and architecture at University College London. She is now head of a cell biology lab where she studies how the cells of our body interact with invading bacteria.
This event took place at the Royal Institution on Friday 30 January.
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[@toomuchtruth]

What an awesome lady Dr Rohn is, fantastic presentation. Her enthusiastic demeanour is truly infectious...

[@user-co2ds3ox5u]

We have to understand without bacteria we couldn't survive. They are not our ultimate enemy. They are our friends and an absolute part of our immune system. Instead of trying to destroy them we need to learn how to work with them. Humans have to change the way we see things and each other. The future of our existence depends on changing our views on ourselves and our relationship to our environment

[@SterlingCat03]

Ah. Someone smart. Our guts NEED bacteria in the intestines to help break down waste. That waste still contains some food so it is a alliances. We give them food, they break down what is useless to us so we aren't crapping bricks all the time. 99.9% of bacteria aren't harmful. In fact, we use those bacteria to make cheese, wine, bread, and more. But we can't use the 0.1% for anything. You suggest that we tame them and learn about them but we can't. If we try to do anything with them, they are likely to kill us. They aren't trying to kill us. They are just trying live and reproduce. But we can't handle them. We can't coexist.

[@deeliciousplum]

Among Ri's talks there are knowledge gems. This is one such gem. Jenny Rohn's research and thoughts are a joy to explore.

[@iliasasdf]

I feel like you didn't give enough gravity to the part where sometimes literally kilograms of antibiotics are used per animal in livestock. And not for disease treatment, but for growth acceleration.

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

It is abhorrent to me that they do this just for a bit more profit. I have heard a couple of countries banned this practice when the well informed public said no to this. I think one of the countries was South Korea.

[@inveritategloria]

The same 'scientists' cater for both sides.

[@DazModeWatercooling]

Great presentation. Thank you.

[@adhipmitra]

What a brilliant talk. She is really passionate about her work.

[@PushkarCarlotto]

This was wonderful! And such a wonderful person too! Humility, the foundation of a true scientist! Thank you.

[@zmk0014]

Very entertaining and informative, thanks, Dr. Rohn.

[@massimotosco5706]

wonderful enlighten presentation

[@waseemullahkhan]

excellent presentation

[@drewfisher1619]

This amazing lady's lecture is the difference of giving facts and bestowing understanding.

[@Snipersight00]

Super interesting talk. Enjoyed it a lot.

[@AnthonyBarberaAuthor]

Very well done!

[@BlizzardtheWolf97]

LOVED this talk but I have one tiny gripe: Selman Waksman did not -singlehandedly- discover streptomycin and several other actinomycete antibiotics. A lot of the work was done by his students and assistants, and there was actually a vicious legal battle in 1950 when he tried to deny his graduate student Albert Schatz credit as the co-discoverer of streptomycin Waksman and his lab associates did make an enormously significant contribution to human medicine (especially by discovering the first working tuberculosis treatment, streptomycin), and microbiological history. I go to Rutgers and I feel humbled and awed having the opportunity to learn microbiology in the place where those tremendous discoveries were made.

[@jamesdolan4042]

Great presentation Dr. Jenny.

[@jamesdolan4042]

@nelk pary Did I make a comment about malaria, never mind proving malaria. I think you need to answer you own question so that ignorant people like me will learn something.

[@rickhanover6267]

Some very ignorant comments here, by some. The correct antibiotic used appropriately for specific bacterial infections (not the common cold or flu) can be life saving. Empirical use of antibiotics usually at the GP level without bacterial culture and sensitivity testing may be a style of treatment that is coming to an end as the problem of increased bacterial resistance escalates. Avoidance of antibiotic treatment should be based on sound clinical judgement, not by a decision that antibiotics are harmful as many in the community believe, as late stage treatment of most infections becomes that much more difficult. Over use of antibiotic therapy is still an issue but from the point of view of resistance to antibiotics non compliance with a treatment course is a disaster.

[@taylordavies2424]

I love these videos so much. i only got a B at GCSE but science is one of the most fascinating things in the world :) thank you for these videos.

[@haripanditparanjpe30]

Very good. Can u upload E.coli changing shape in bladder on a full screen?

[@katiejo1095]

"We claim to know facts", as old as I am now, this is my motto.

[@sooryanarayanan4273]

thanks very much

[@rajendraangara9466]

40:32 She raised curiosity over vancomycin by saying it’s a flick of an accident, long story, I wont tell it 😂 is she planning a series? Do we need to wait for next release 🤔

[@Bedsheet_Necktie]

your presentation makes me feel like im gonna have a panic attack

[@mortalrahu]

Dr.Rohn, the first mistake of yours, you mention that bacteria is present in us and then separately mention their presence in animals. (Aren't we animals too?) You say, we are highly evolved, and we are at the top of the food chain. (We aren't, we just act as we did.)

[@sunahangrai3601]

hi ! i need lectures in physics and biology with experiments like that of andrew syzdlo's .

[@Systemrat2008]

Brilliant

[@chrismilbank]

There is no known resistance of pathogens to Ozone therapy, plenty of research on Pub Med and medical journals, invest your research money there. Very interesting video thankyou

[@WingCommanderAE24]

I've survived an infecetion with a multi resitent strain of salmonella as a baby. that bug only peed it's pants from laughing when they tried every antibiotic they had on stock. the only thing that actually worked were the phages but it was like the last straw. We should be very carefull with antibiotics they are our first and often our last line of defense against bacteria and any misuse of them is weakening it.

[@herauthon]

how to let bacteria fight bacteria... to just be so.. handy

[@scottseptember1992]

(Bacterio) Phage Therapy people. Start using it in the US.

[@BlizzardtheWolf97]

scottseptember1992 if only it were that easy... phage therapy absolutely has promising applications in the treatment of chronic wound infections, diabetic ulcers and the like. But as of now nobody has figured out how to maintain phages in human circulation, in high enough titer to be effective at treating localized or systemic internal infection. your immune system, meaning well, simply recognizes the viral particles as “something that shouldn’t be here” and clears them away without fanfare.

[@SimonSozzi7258]

What happened to vincamiacin?

[@theresageiger584]

LAXATIVE ABUSE TOOK ME OUT

[@builderbuilder616]

3:24 you mean " the observable universe". Thanks

[@chrisofnottingham]

Indeed. I was going to make the same comment.

[@ricardoabh3242]

They mean bacteria that you can see, nothing to do with respect to astronomy:) In the vid she mentioned bacteria that are only observable in the ground and not the lab. "The lab" is the observable universe.

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

I took antibiotics for a tooth infection and the last three tablets were spoiled when they got wet and dissolved away in the packet. This happened last yr and now I'm worried I will be resistant and die the next time I need them for something serious. Holy shit infections are a horrible way to die from.

[@TheRoyalInstitution]

It may be small consolation, but when we talk about antibiotic resistance it's not you who becomes resistant to antibiotics, it's the bacteria itself - creating what we refer to as superbugs. Kurzgesagt did a great video on how antibacterial resistance in bacteria forms - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rovFlKqfbLiZkKc

[@gianigd]

why you never have a Q and A session?????

[@TheRoyalInstitution]

We almost always have a Q&A session. The one for this talk is here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZWkcqlsoLOZqa8 The link is in the description and as an end slide at the end of the video.

[@boralt1640]

cool

[@drstrange7506]

Is hawking there

[@juliantreidiii]

Decimated means 1 in 10.

[@dnanarv]

those tubers occured OVER 9000 years ago.

[@coweatsman]

We need more public participation in pharma. The corporate profit model is not going to solve antibiotic resistance. The "market" will decide there is no money in antibiotics. Some things are better done by the government.

[@coweatsman]

Maybe we also need to drop the "war on......... whatever" mentality including antibiotic resistance and instead think of balance in nature and think of humans as part of nature and not at war with nature. Less hubris, more holistic humility. Find ways to work with microbes. Encourage a diversity of microbes to check and balance each other. Gut microbiome diversity is good for individual health so maybe scaling that up to the macro in how we design communities and agriculture to encourage diversity of species, both macro and micro.

[@edgeeffect]

Nothing is better done by a government.

[@holz_name]

What we need is finally some nanotech that can mechanically identify and destroy bacteria. But I guess that is still science-fiction.

[@iliasasdf]

We can use Bacteriophages to kill bacteria, but one thing we can't kill after infection is viruses.

[@holz_name]

iliasasdf I'm talking about the science-fiction nanotech. Nano machines that can self-replicate and search&destroy cells and viruses.

[@iliasasdf]

Holz Name "Nano machines that can self-replicate and search&destroy cells and viruses" They're called white blood cells.

[@edgeeffect]

Bacteriophage. "God's nanotech" ;)

[@rogerabernathy7759]

Untold what??

[@TheChats02]

Yes, it takes money to make these new drugs. How much more money would we have for drug research if taxpayers didn't bail out banks? The very rich think they have it made with so much money, but when they get an infection and there's no antibiotic, they could die like anyone else.

[@mauriceupton1474]

You don't get that resistance if you use bacteriophages.

[@rogerabernathy7759]

Apears to Impart? Did she really say that?

[@rpdigital17]

34:28 The antibiotics have failed. The right thing is to eat healthy and natural foods.

[@deathkeys1]

alright... so the bacteria is on revenge mode, and the oly solution is throw money at the problem.... sounds good.

[@enriqueDFTL]

I'm scared. :(

[@ronaldderooij1774]

We survived for 200.000 years without penicilline. Only the quality and the length of life was far worse. But we'll survive as a species. And as an individual, we have to die anyway some day. No need to worry about that, because it is inevitable.

[@jorgeriveramx]

+Ronald de Rooij i think bacteria and viruses have the potential to wipe out all humans on earth. I wouldn't be that confident about we surviving. our immune system can't keep up with the speed of bacteria evolution.

[@rogerabernathy7759]

Reek untold???

[@mahejeah]

She is so cute and smart is all I can say

[@glennharrison7036]

So, bacteria can spread by all sorts of ways ... including "The nurse that didn't wash HIS hands" (26:30). There you have it, bacterial spread is caused men; they are the culprits.

[@verioffkin]

I've quite strong feeling women will take more of what they never taken before in history, especially they will in this century. It's not matter of any discrimination, it's matter of "sex" as something different or opposite, a barrier. I guess. Interesting. I apologize for mentioning it in a view of science things. Just another stupid newbie male comment. Thx.

[@muhddoud5591]

niNe thousand yees old wow

[@muhddoud5591]

Bebop

[@jaykay1332]

Bacteria ain't real! Silly globe heads thinking all this bacterial mumbo jumbo is real. The earth is definetly 6k years and the only proof iz need is gal darn common sense. The earth is flat and hollow, nd now I have to rewind this video because I wasn't listnin. Also she is def cute and smart!

[@erikziak1249]

14:40 I'm honored to stand here, where he once stood. Now that is a statement that does not need any comments. Not for Flemmings' sake, but for us all. I am very sad and lonely and drunk (two bottles fo red wine). A big THANK YOU to the Royal Institutuions for these videos. They keep me from suicide, even thought I should really kill myself, beind so sad and lonely and such an ASSHOLE of a person..... I want do die. Ia m crying...... AAnd it feels bad... And good... And bad... . And olmny the dog is hearing me crying... Barking there... I will not watch the vieo to the end... I am too sad.

[@viesturssilins858]

Erik Žiak Hope you are feeling better man! Hold tight!

[@rogerabernathy7759]

Okay urinary track of a woman is abt 5 inches shorter than a man. Is that that prob? Doctor of Medicine, Princeton; 1989. Did they teach wrong?

[@rogerabernathy7759]

Ohhh??? If she would stop grasping for breath, may possible could understand . . Slow down . . This is ages old, not going away anytime soon . . according to your narrative

[@rizzleriz4457]

The earth is only 4.6 billions years old? (:-) I guess I stopped here. Nobody can know that...these time predictors, a no-no.

[@rogerabernathy7759]

I do need more evidence than this rambling BS

[@redeyeboy1000]

Why worry,at the end of the day our soul's will alway's exist.We no nothing?.

[@redeyeboy1000]

Kimberyote3 What do you know, the answer too everything, bet you believe they put a man on the moon.Not all evidence is true.

[@redeyeboy1000]

Kimberyote3 Sam harris is only giving his opinion about faith.why believe what he believe's.As a r-c i believe in good not evil,who knowe's the truth ,God or Sam harris.We need something too believe in if not then what is the point of getting up in the morning,maybe iv'e been condition at a early age too believe in God.I suffered a massive heart-attack the cardiologist said i was very lucky to have survived that God was looking over me i believed this the same as you believe Sam harris. I have faith it's all i have.Sorry if my last post caused any malice.

[@TheAmmarKeylani]

It is not "out at the coast of Israel" but "occupied Palestine"!!! A scholar of no ethical background has no scientific credibility as well! Please correct your geographical history in your next lecture!!!!!

[@Homunculas]

Well, you may have a point on the geography, but assessing her credibility on the subject matter because she doesn't conform to your political ideology is NONSENSE.

[@thomasbenoyphyiscs]

so she is basically asking for more funding by scaring the public

[@DoctorMaya7]

No money or Nobel prize can change what you are going to see, so who needs fund, why will we scare you?

[@keithrichard391]

Dont fool yourself--God created all things!