Phage Therapy Targeting Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria | Paul Turner | TEDxBinghamtonUniversity

We have used antibiotics for decades to fight off infections and diseases, drastically improving the quality of life. However, this use has now caused bacteria to evolve to resist penicillin and antibiotic drugs. Paul Turner recognizes this issue as a looming threat to humanity, and is working on new methods to fight infection. Phage therapy, the main focus of this talk and his studies, addresses the concepts of evolutionary tradeoffs and how we can influence the microenvironment in different ways, so that our medicines do not become obsolete. Paul Turner is the Rachel Carson Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, and microbiology faculty member at Yale School of Medicine. He obtained a BA in biology (1988) from the University of Rochester, a PhD in microbial evolution (1995) from Michigan State University and did postdocs at National Institutes of Health, University of Valencia in Spain and the University of Maryland-College Park, before joining Yale in 2001. Turner studies evolutionary genetics of viruses, particularly phages (bacteria-specific viruses) that infect bacterial pathogens and RNA viruses transmitted by mosquitoes, and researches the use of phages to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial diseases. He is very active in science-communication outreach to the general public, and is involved in programs where faculty collaborate with K-12 teachers to improve STEM education in underserved public schools. Turner’s service includes the National Science Foundation’s Bio Advisory Committee and he is president-elect of the International Society for Evolution, Medicine and Public Health. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@mjphilip5824]

I'm a biomedical student student in Uganda doing some research with phages. This is very helpful

[@mikhailrulev4886]

In some cases, the use of blue iodine to combat superinfections can help. In the USSR there was a research scientist Vladimir Makhnach, who for many years studied the antibacterial properties of blue iodine. There are his scientific works! In particular , in the period from 1942 to 1955 , he helped to cure more than 1000 patients from dysentery with an iodine starch complex !

[@ip3931]

I rarely find topics I'm interested in but this Phage is definitely something I'd like find out more about.

[@Ana-bw7gm]

There is lots of information on internet.

[@aviatornic2839]

This was incredibly informative, and reassuring at the same time.

[@austinroberson8]

Superbugs aren’t coming people, they are here. It’s beautiful how Mother Nature has given us a way to combat everything that’s thrown at us, yet tragic how we try to find ways to monetize it. Especially something as important as this. The pure greed of drug companies will trump what’s right.

[@taylorlaster714]

Soo... My husband was recently diagnosed with CLL leukemia... We are currently homeless, uninsured... He is terrified of dying ultimately from painful infections... I'm spending all day and night researching anything that might give him more time. These phages give me hope even though we'd have to move mountains to travel out of the USA to get treatment. If anyone has information that would be helpful to my situation, please, I need all the help I can get...

[@anjaliv95]

Hey how are you

[@jarrettthomas4865]

Hey just checking in..have you found anything? I just heard about this stuff so sorry I can’t be more helpful 😢

[@rayperez4825]

Hows it going

[@IFrozenFireI]

Eliava Phage Therapy or Poland

[@innocentagaba7076]

There is beauty in using biodiversity to solve huge problems. Normal things solving abnormal problems

[@michaelperez965]

I been obsessed with phages because of all they can do for us

[@dulynoted2427]

Is this the same idea as letting your children play in the dirt, being exposed to the environment, having pets and being handled by different people as a baby to diversify and strengthen their gut biome?

[@lv1543]

No

[@xana3961]

The idea is this: We inject the patient with a phage that attempts to kill the anti-biotic resistant bacteria. If it kills it, fantastic! If it doesn't, the bacteria had to give up one of its defenses to our anti-biotic drugs to fight off the phage, making our drugs able to kill it again. The bacteria can't have both anti-biotic defenses *and* phage defenses. It has to choose one or the other. The cocktail of anti-biotics and phages, then, means that we can destroy the defenses of the bacteria to our super weapons and use those super weapons (that previously didn't work) to kill the bacteria killing us. Think of it as if we're sending spies to sabotage the enemy defenses before we send in the missiles to *destroy* the enemy

[@AestheticLinesUrdu]

I have done pharmD from Abbottabad University. I am interested in working on phage therapy.

[@tcf70tyrannosapiensbonsai]

I'm surprised, that Dr. Turner is telling us about the limitations of phage therapy, as if the whole world would have used bacteriophages generally since their recovery. He may be right about their limitations, but the research he's talking about sounds fishy like making patents for the pharma industry, while finding phages isn't profitable.

[@johndock9164]

Agreed. I think he's doing it on purpose. Phage development would reshape drug industry. Phage therapy works in Europen countries, what Americans are different humans?

[@yogastfan]

Im glad phage therapy is still going on with reasearch

[@Ana-bw7gm]

Doing research for the past 100 + years. Other countries are using phages to treat people.

[@OriginLinear]

What is the likelyhood that a wondering phage could lead to the evolution of a phage that kills good bacteria causing unintended consequences?

[@Ana-bw7gm]

It didn't happen for the past few billions of years, unlikely to happen now.

[@fallen4055]

@@Ana-bw7gm just because something didn't happen but that doesn't mean it will not...

[@Ana-bw7gm]

@@fallen4055 Don't hold your breath.

[@Ana-bw7gm]

@@fallen4055 Phages that kill bad bacteria will not start killing good bacteria because each of them is specific to one bacteria. When bacteria evolves and becomes resistant to phage the phage evolves as well a bit faster. I am reading a lot about bacteriophages (because I have a superbug) and didn't come across them killing good bacteria. Thinking logically there would be phages that kill good bacteria but doctors would not be giving them to patients when treating bad bacteria (and this last sentence is just my opinion).

[@jacksheep80]

Well from what i know, phages are huper focused on the bacteria it consumes, some can can eat bactria from then same family of the bacteria it consumes it i heard that rare

[@vikkiprevette2934]

How about focusing on minerals/ vitamins… etc… The food we consume blocks SO much if this… like copper kills viruses.. /bacteria.. It’s in supplements..

[@DerelictSong]

copper is also toxic to living things that is why it kills bacteria if you accumulate to much of it you will developed a heavy metal poisoning, for copper you start to produce more reactive species of oxygen that are not very good for your dna. bacteriophages only affect a small group of bacteria's at most that are very closely related so the risks for their use are pretty much non existing.

[@Wfb_DVM]

If bacteria mutates against phases, wouldn't that inevitably cause phages to mutate to bypass those factors? 🧐🤔

[@duaneelliott5194]

Sounds like this guy just learned about it, and didnt realize that its been used effectively for almost a 100 years.

[@piecesofme8531]

Where are the clinical trials?

[@austinroberson8]

Georgia has been using Bacteriophages for over 100 years.

[@Thestudents9020]

I am from Pakistan and working on e. coli phages i have isolated two bacteriophages

[@Nobody-dp8br]

Sure….

[@Thestudents9020]

@@Nobody-dp8br yes

[@mkaz3997]

And presumably you can evidence this ? If not, its just talk.

[@Thestudents9020]

@@mkaz3997 Not just a talk, I have evidence

[@mkaz3997]

@@Thestudents9020 and what is your evidence?