Phage Therapy Research Updates with P3 Faculty Member
A new paper from biologist and Pittsburgh Phage Project (P3) member Graham Hatfull, published today in Nature Medicine, advances the science behind bacteriophage therapy to help treat antibiotic resistant lung infections. While the case described in the paper did not result in a cure for the patient, it was an example of how researchers can learn from all circumstances to advance knowledge that will improve treatment for others.
“This case study certainly provides key insights into how best to use bacteriophages therapeutically,” said Hatfull.
Hatfull’s lab has identified and sequenced the genes of thousands of phages—bacteria-killing viruses—to see which can integrate with bacterial DNA and interrupt its expression, effectively stopping infection.