Polymer that can kill six different superbugs

[Becky]

This could be pretty good news for everyone, and hopefully get around the issue of antibiotic resistance of superbugs...

Following a UK-led drive to raise awareness of the potential impact of antimicrobial resistance, UN members pledged to deliver an update on the superbug war by 2018, but in her small laboratory on the other side of the world, Lam is already several steps ahead.

She believes her method of killing bacteria using tiny star-shaped molecules, built with chains of protein units called peptide polymers, is a ground-breaking alternative to failing antibiotics.

“We’ve discovered that [the polymers] actually target the bacteria and kill it in multiple ways,” says Lam, who leads a half-a-dozen-strong research team. “One method is by physically disrupting or breaking apart the cell wall of the bacteria. This creates a lot of stress on the bacteria and causes it to start killing itself.”

Her research, published this month in the prestigious journal, Nature Microbiology, has already been hailed by scientists as a breakthrough that could change the face of modern medicine.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/he...d-hold-the-key-to-winning-the-war-against-th/

Incredible! Let's hope it makes it through testing and becomes reality

 

[JacobVR]

I'd be concerned about how/if the substance can break down and how long it remains in the patients system.