Antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and potential synthetic treatments

In 1928, penicillin was discovered, changing the field of modern medicine as it provided an opportunity to treat microbial infections. Since then, microorganisms such as bacteria have evolved and now have the ability to resist a wide variety of agents that might otherwise prevent their growth. By 2050, it is estimated that around 10 million lives each year will be lost due to these bacteria. This article provides an insight into how bacteria resist antibiotics and potential new methods of treating these organisms

Development of a scalable upstream bioprocess for bacteriophage culture

Since the discovery of antibiotics, there has been a revolution in treating microbial infections. However, with their increasing use, some microbes have developed a form of resistance to many of the available antimicrobial agents. Untreatable infections because of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) have recently become a global threat and it is estimated that by 2050, more than 10 million people will die per annum from resistant bacterial infections. Therefore, novel methods are needed to kill resistant microbes. One such method that may be used to kill resistant bacteria are bacteriophages (phages), viruses that infect microorganisms and cause them to lyse. [Continues.