Med School Minutes

Med School Minutes-Ep. 53 | The Invisible Pandemic: Nanotech vs. Drug Resistance w/ Dr. Alya Limayem

• Kaushik Guha

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Drug-resistant bacteria are a growing global threat — an invisible pandemic impacting millions each year. In this episode of Med School Minutes, Dr. Alya Limayem, Associate Professor at the University of North Florida and pioneer in nanotechnology research, shares how nano-based solutions could be the key to fighting superbugs.

From her journey in science to her patented nanocompounds, Dr. Limayem discusses the urgent need for innovation, the promise of nanomedicine, and how even small-scale labs can make a big impact in global health.

00:00 – Intro
00:30 – Meet Dr. Alya Limayem
02:55 – What Is Nanotechnology?
04:02 – The Drug Resistance Crisis
05:19 – Patents & Breakthroughs
06:10 – Medical & Environmental Uses of Nanotech
09:47 – Indigenous vs. Generic Probiotics
10:57 – Balancing Teaching and Research
15:10 – Starting Small in Research
17:33 – Perseverance & Innovation
18:59 – Journey from Tunisia to the U.S.
27:39 – Building Research in the Caribbean

#MedSchoolMinutes #SaintJamesSchoolOfMedicine #Nanotechnology #DrugResistance #MedicalResearch #Nanomedicine #Superbugs #GlobalHealth #CaribbeanMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #SciencePodcast #MedicalEducation

Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Med School Minutes podcast, where we discuss what it takes to attend and successfully complete a medical program. This show is brought to you by St James School of Medicine. Here is your host, kaushik Guha.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much for joining us on another episode of Med School Minutes, where we talk about everything MD related, with the focus on international students, specifically students from the Caribbean. Today, we have a very special guest, dr Alia Limayam. She is an associate professor at the University of North Florida and she specializes in nanotechnologies. Today, we're going to delve into what exactly is nanotechnology, and we're talking to Dr Limayam, who is a pioneer in this field, with three patents to her name. Without further ado, let's welcome Dr Limayam. Thank you so much for joining us, dr Limayam. We really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule and meeting us in beautiful and usually sunny St Vincent. Today it's raining a little bit, but again. Once again, thank you so much. We're honored to have you. Why don't we start by you giving us a little bit about your background and all the accolades that you won over the last couple of years?

Speaker 3:

All right. So first of all, thank you for having me. I'm so excited and honored to be here with you, Very much appreciated to have to know St James School of Medicine. It has lots of potential and the horizon. You can do many things to this school. So let me introduce myself by saying that I'm an associate professor. I obtained my PhD from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and mostly I've been working on designing, manipulating nanocomponents to use them in order to increase productivity and enhance the yield from renewable energy, and by that time the trend was yeast-based fermentation, the biofuel, the bioethanol. And from there we have noticed that we have some drug resistance because we're using we have some drug resistance because we're using antibiotics to remove the yeast, to remove the bacteria that were competing with the yeast in order to convert sugar into alcohol. So we started to think about a new methodology using non-traditional, conventional antibiotics that are cost-effective, safe and effective against some type of bacteria. And from here, when I get the idea to work with nanocomponents.

Speaker 2:

Okay, I see. So when we read your bio, it says that you've done a lot of research in nanotechnology. Can you explain what that really is?

Speaker 3:

So the nanotechnology is the science that manipulate and design biological matter. For my field it can work, of course, for mechanic or electronic. But my kids manipulating this teeny tiny, we will will say from 100 nanometers, which is billions meters, okay, and I have noticed on them they're amazing properties for precision, okay, and we can find some of them can work like antimicrobials, very cost-effective antimicrobials, and that can be important if they're selected in a way and designed in a way that can target, reach the target cells that we need.

Speaker 2:

Okay, awesome. So right now, what does your research largely entail? What are you doing?

Speaker 3:

So my research is mostly with the drug. Is what started with drug resistance? Because the emerging uh drug resistance worldwide, not only in the us. Everywhere we have noticed that almost 1 million, more than 1 million deaths per year and associated to many hospitalizations that can reach millions. So this was alarming and we need really to think about a sustainable solution that could protect us from this emerging. So the conventional like I have noticed 10 years ago that you are reaching a pipeline of drug resistance. So we have bacteria that are resistant to 10, 12 antibiotics and many immunocompromised populations, especially with the hematological malignancies patient with impaired immune system can actually can pass away from drug resistance infection.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

So the nanocomponent can be the first alternative to this type of hospitalization disease.

Speaker 2:

And if I'm not mistaken, you have a couple of patents to your name Uh-huh. Can you talk a little bit about those?

Speaker 3:

Of course, so especially. The most important one is the nano formulation.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

Including zinc oxide and chitosan Okay. So I selected them for their effectiveness, potency Okay, and together they are broad synergistic and broad spectrum against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, because we have a wide range of drug-resistant bacteria, especially the hospital-acquired one. We call them the non-succombeal pathogens. So these two nanocomponents are very effective and we have evidence for that, and also they can be used as a supplement, not only as antimicrobials.

Speaker 2:

Okay, and how do you administer these nanoparticles into the human body?

Speaker 3:

So, depending on where you will administer it, so it can be. We talk about nanostructures. So the nanostructure, if it's, for example, for the skin and I believe here, for example in San Vans on the Caribbean, it's very important to look at the type of nanocompound that treat the skin for the waterborne pathogens and mosquito, et cetera, bites, so that can. If it's for the skin, the liposome nanostructure is perfect Because it's site-specific.

Speaker 3:

If it's going to be ingested, the nanomyscellar form is the most appropriate. First, for its size, because if it's more than 200 nanometers it can be cleared by the spleen or by the liver and if it's very small it can be cleared or eliminated by the kidney. So we want it to be in between 100-150 nanometers. Then we can warrant its bioavailability and have it reach the target cells in the form of nanomycell. Now, if you want to use it like a spray or an inhaler, if you want it to be inhaled, that microsphere with a size of two micrometer says 2000 nanometer is fine, as long as we can also embed it within, embed the zinc oxide and the chitosan inside, okay, this microsphere so it can reach the lung, okay, and we can have the effect we need and have you done any research about this exact structure of the nanosphere?

Speaker 3:

oh, of course, absolutely okay. So I started with the nanomyslle because we wanted to be ingested and compare the ingested to the inhaled, and we figured out that the core of a nano micelle is hydrophobic it means water repellent. So you had to design hydrophobic zinc oxide to have it there and the warrant, the zeta potential and the polydispersity index conforming to our needs. So this is overall and for the microsphere. We bought a machine we call SprayDryer and these days, with my team, we're trying to figure out what would be the best size versus making it flow and effective as much as we need.

Speaker 2:

Which one of? So you have three patents. Which one of these patents do you think is closest to real-world deployment?

Speaker 3:

The one that can be used to treat water surfaces.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

Okay. So I received grants for environmental pollution commission and we really figured out the potential of the zinc oxide and chitosan together. We call it CZNPS together. And they're very effective against the non-succomyel pathogens, since the water can be mixed with not only the household, but the waste from pharmaceuticals, yes, and hospitals, et cetera. So we really figured out the effectiveness of these nanocomponents against these non-succomyel bacteria. Use it for reclaimed water.

Speaker 2:

So one question is I know we've talked about and you've mentioned this, the West Africa study that you've done on indigenous water therapy.

Speaker 3:

How would these differ from off-the-shelf probiotics, really, yeah, here the indigenous, or we call them bacteria or probiotics. We can talk about bacteriotherapy, which is a new technique, but the good thing is they're used to the diet of the locals and the immune system, so they are more effective than the off-the-shelf generic probiotics.

Speaker 2:

Okay, I see.

Speaker 3:

And we had also. We had so many different experiments with them. They did it in situ, in their countries, and they figure out the effectiveness of the local versus indigenous when compared to the generic one. The competitive exclusion, for example with the pathogen is better and they have better results and outcomes.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so now switching gears a little bit, going for your day-to-day responsibilities of, as you mentioned, you are an associate professor at University of North Florida. As you mentioned, you are an associate professor at University of North Florida. How do you balance your time between teaching and the research that you have to do, because I'm sure it is not a 40-hour work week for sure?

Speaker 3:

Or is it? It depends. I have some intensive days, especially during fall and spring. I have to work hard with the students. Okay, it's not just teaching itself, because I enjoy teaching, I like. I mean giving messages, teaching new concepts to my students, giving them ownership of their new studies, et cetera. But the most challenging part is when the 150 students want to reach me in person every day, so 150 together answer their questions. It can be sometimes challenging when you have establishing new labs and want to think more about the research projects and your progress in that sense. But in any ways, I always try to set boundaries when necessary. Okay, and I maintain my balance by doing sports, going to the gym, I like dance, tennis and sometimes have a break with my friends and family. So this will give me type of energy, positive energy, and feel rejuvenated and refreshed to restart my day.

Speaker 2:

So what's your average work week like? Is it 40 hours, 60 hours, 80 hours, more than that, typically?

Speaker 3:

I would say 50.

Speaker 2:

50 hours, yeah, around 50 hours, and that includes teaching classroom as well as handling student questions, grading papers, et cetera, and course responsibility, as well as your research.

Speaker 3:

And, in addition, I'm a first lady. I should say this okay and, being a first lady, I do my best to promote unf and I believe also. Unf is a very promising, excellent university. It has a lot of potential and I really believe in its success if we all work together and use its potential in that sense.

Speaker 2:

So here's a question. I mean, obviously, st James is an offshore medical school and traditionally offshore medical schools haven't or don't do a lot of research as a school, as a Caribbean school or as an offshore US-based Caribbean school, if you will, st James has a lot more research requirements and focus on research than most other schools. That being said, that is significantly less than most research universities in the United States. How would you suggest a school like St James can potentially level up its research? If you will?

Speaker 3:

Well, very important things. And excellent question, I believe. And authenticity does matter, so its place is unique. Excellent question, I believe, and authenticity does matter. So it's place, it's unique. Don't try to mimic others, but be yourself. And I believe here in the Caribbean you have the marine microbiota. You do have also the waterborne pathogens and all these type of things can be enhanced, since it's under explored, I would say, and you can further explore the studies. That belongs, make a niche, create a niche that belongs specifically to St James school.

Speaker 2:

So by building your uniqueness and focus on your authenticity, authenticity you will stand above the others so, in your opinion, do you think a simple wet lab that is typically available in most schools is adequate enough to get uh, say, groundbreaking research and potentially getting uh patents and grants, like you've done?

Speaker 3:

to be honest with you, I started personally. I started my career with a small startup.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

Okay. So that means that said, where there is a will, there is a way Awesome. So you need to have a realistic idea that is plausible, not something for the prestige or over-ambitious ideas or something that does not fit your resources and fit the context and the culture in place. So what we need, for example, when I start my studies, I have plates, you know, media and in my mind, how can I get rid of drug resistance, which is true problems, which is significant? And I started at the beginning using the plate and the drug and assassins against the colonies, and suddenly I saw that this drug was able to inhibit these colonies and cost it. For me, it was very cost effective, it doesn't need that much money. Able to inhibit these colonies and cost it. For me, it was very cost effective, it doesn't need that much money. So this I could use like preliminary data.

Speaker 3:

And it was successful. My grant was accepted based on very small and I was not even being starting like a research professor, research assistant professor. I was not even allowed to have PhD student with me, so I started with undergraduate and I was able to be scored from the NIH. That was my beginning because the idea was very plausible. I just with collaboration, I tried to collaborate a senior professor who kindly I remember by that time Dr Lansishaw he kindly gave me his set of drug-resistant bacteria, received it from Moffitt Cancer Center and from there I started my experiment. They were not costly but with collaboration I was able to build my own world.

Speaker 2:

I see, wow, so that's really interesting. So obviously, whenever we talk about research, a lot of people will say that research is all about failing and not giving up. And not giving up In your experience, what is a big research push that you made? That wasn't very successful, but you've learned a lot from.

Speaker 3:

I mean I was fortunate, everything. I mean the beginning. I have to be honest with you. No, not so many that believed me. That was the most challenging part Even saw people laughing, et cetera. But I did not pay attention to this. I persevered and continued to be innovative, like the perseverance with the creativity and innovation, not saying just taking one way, no, it's this, way, it does not work. I take another way. I take another approach, another methodology, look for more matching collaborators. So perseverance with creativity and innovation will help move forward.

Speaker 2:

That's awesome. That's actually really good advice. I mean, you know, as a school, we are definitely trying to improve our research capabilities and obviously, with your guidance and your help and mentorship, I think that that will definitely happen. But I do want to take a step back and go back to your very beginning, because you originally are from Tunisia because you originally are from Tunisia, but I'm being now.

Speaker 3:

My kids are American and well-established American. When I visit Tunisia, nobody recognized me, oh.

Speaker 2:

I changed. Well, I'm pretty sure, with all the patents and all the coverage that you've gotten in the last couple of years. I think that will change very soon. People all over the world will start recognizing you, but I definitely wanted to know, when you came to the us, what was the journey like? Did you come with the intention of being a trailblazing uh scientist, or was it that? Hey, you know what? I'm just going to make my way and let's see what happens, and yeah, the second one, okay, oh, the second one.

Speaker 3:

I came pregnant when I came here with sarah and I want to succeed, okay, okay, and did all my best to succeed and it turned to be inventions and top three papers, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Awesome, and so the field that you eventually got are in today, the technology. Is this something that was well-intentioned right from a very early age? Or, you know, when you were young were you dreaming of being a pilot, for example? I mean, all of us have dreamt that Completely.

Speaker 3:

No, it came like this like science, okay, okay. Uh, I'm very curious and resilient person. I can. I came also from a curious family. My dad is an engineer okay okay, he built his own company and cheese and, yeah, making. My mom also studied biology and also studied biology and she's very gifted for art et cetera, so she involved me always. So, coming from a family that they have, these orientations also gave me the taste and the. No wonder that I'm also a biologist and I like art and the foreword.

Speaker 2:

With all these gifts, Now I'm beginning to see it, because cheese definitely needs a lot of microorganisms and a lot of fermentation processes. So I can see where that interest probably originates.

Speaker 3:

And then they're beneficial Beneficial for health, but also delicious when they eat them.

Speaker 2:

Right. And eventually, when you moved here and you started your research, as you said, you obviously you started with one aspect and then you you had a eureka moment Right that says, oh wow, maybe this is something I need to cope. Can you describe when that eureka moment really happened, that you decided that you want to focus on drug resistance?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it happened to me when I realized the impact of drug resistance, not only in the US but worldwide. Right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

And then I said why don't you look for another alternative that could be effective and will somehow diminish this pipeline drug resistance? And Dr Ricky, my advisor over there, stephen Ricky, in Arkansas, also encouraged me to take this direction and also offered to me the resources and the necessary knowledge for that. So I used my curiosity and perseverance to take this direction and found myself with many discoveries, inventions and original contributions.

Speaker 2:

That's awesome. So, in general, from a macroeconomic standpoint not economic but macro healthcare standpoint what is your general view on countries that don't really seem to pay a lot of attention to drug resistance? For example, in St Vincent, you can walk into a drugstore and get non-prescription antivirus.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

In India. I mean, technically you need a prescription but you know anything goes Right Kind of a situation. What are your views on that? And I believe, if I'm not mistaken, I think the World Health Organization is also shown concern, especially with India's population. A drug resistance could potentially be catastrophic.

Speaker 3:

So we need to spread awareness.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

And tell them. Look at the pandemic, because I personally was involved with also, I received a grant for the rapid response COVID-19. And zinc oxide also turned to be effective against viruses like COVID that have envelopes, so it can destroy its envelopes and the genomic material and the protein spikes it has an effect on it. Okay, okay and can be removed, can be used in wastewater, reclaimed water and then recovered, and we can have it with a membrane filtration so we recover the water from all chemicals and yeah, so this can happen. So by spreading awareness. And then look at what teeny, tiny, small organism like corona Did not pay attention to it when it is, and it impacted the entire health system and worldwide health. So drug resistance could be also an invisible pandemic.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

And unfortunately, we can lose people from our families if they are immunocompromised or they gain age elderly that can be impacted and affected by this.

Speaker 2:

So think about them but, uh, what are your thoughts on a lot of people, including myself? Uh, when I am not feeling very well and over-the-counter drugs aren't really helping, in a day, maybe a day and a half, I'm like you know what. I went to St Vincent, I'm going to pick up I always pick up antibiotics and I just take them and I go through the course as recommended on the box. What would you say to people like that?

Speaker 3:

I will tell them they're not only antibiotics that are effective against this type of diseases.

Speaker 2:

Okay, and they certainly know.

Speaker 3:

For example, honey, ginger, turmeric right, okay, turmeric and ginger. Start with those first. Start with a nutraceutical okay, okay, drink lots of fluids. Make soups with onion and garlic. These are very effective and sometimes Okay, start with a nutraceutical, okay, okay. Drink lots of fluids Okay. Make soups with onion and garlic, okay. These are very effective and sometimes are better than antibiotics, okay, okay. And add to them when you eat. Add some thyme, okay. Rosemary, okay. So start with a natural herbal extract and spices.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

Be patient for a couple of days. Okay, be patient for a couple of days and have some pinanol if you want to release the pain. Okay, and you will see. Okay, it's going to. I mean, if it's viral, look at your. The discharge should be transparent.

Speaker 2:

Right.

Speaker 3:

So you don't need antibiotic at all.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

So by consuming antibiotics you are increasing and exacerbating the drug. So by consuming antibiotics you are increasing and exacerbating the drug resistance.

Speaker 2:

That's what you are doing Right.

Speaker 3:

Okay in your body and if it's greenish and it continues after a few days with high fever then and you consume some of these herbal teas turmeric, ginger lime, et cetera then after three days you go and check the doctor for antibiotics that's very interesting because, you know, my knee jerk reaction always is that if I'm feeling sick, yeah, I just don't have the patience, you know, and I'll just go oh there's antibiotics, let me just pop in and use it.

Speaker 2:

And I don't know, oh there's antibiotics, let me just pop in and use it. And I don't know, it might be psychosomatic where I was just all of a sudden cured.

Speaker 3:

Just think antibiotics are only effective against bacteria and specific type of bacteria, okay, okay, so you might have nothing but exacerbating their existence, I see, and also affectingating their existence, I see. And also affecting the microbiome, I see. Kill the good ones. That helps you enhance your immune system, enhance digestion, correlate with the brain and the lungs, etc. I see.

Speaker 2:

So my final question really is for a school like St James question really is for a school like St James. We have basic research for our students. Every student attempts to get published and every year I think we get about two to four hundred publications, some of them in quite prestigious journals as well. For a school like ours and a lot of our publications also come through our hospital partners as well but for a school like ours who is trying to develop their research capabilities, what do you think should be the very first step? We have obviously wet labs and things like that, but what do you think should our very first step be?

Speaker 3:

First step, look at the problem. What is the problem?

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

It's significance, okay, study it. We have to measure it, okay, and have real data, okay, that measure the problem and the significance, okay, of that. Then look at collaborators Okay, national and also international, okay, and this will help, okay, and also international, and this will help. Then make sure that we have enough resources.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

Okay, and this resource will fit the context and the culture in place.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

Okay, like as I mentioned previously, that you look at the microbiota in marine systems, skin's problem, waterborne the virus, like Zika virus, can be a potential subject. Like I attended conferences and I saw that now they're thinking removing the breathing sites of certain mosquitoes, like the Aedes aegypti it's called like that and if you remove these breathing sites you can actually diminish and reduce the occurrences of many different diseases. This is a very plausible project that you can stand above with your uniqueness and continue creating and helping student success. So this also will promote St James School of Medicine for research and everything and create a new pattern.

Speaker 2:

Excellent. Well, thank you so much for your time.

Speaker 3:

My pleasure, pleasure was mine. Thank you for inviting me to share my knowledge.

Speaker 2:

It's been a pleasure to have you. Our students were very encouraged by your talk yesterday and I hope the feedback. It's been a pleasure to have you. Our students were very encouraged by your talk yesterday and I hope the feedback that you're taking back with you about our students is very favorable and obviously there'll be more discussions as the week goes along, but thank you so much for your time.

Speaker 3:

The pleasure was mine. Thank you so much.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much for joining us on this very inspirational episode of Med School Minutes. We learned a lot about what nanotherapeutics is and where the future of healthcare really resides. Thank you so much, dr Ali Alimayem, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to visit us in sunny St Vincent. And remember, if you really enjoyed the contents of this podcast, please download, follow, share and like our podcast. It goes a long way for our team. And remember there's no shortcut to becoming an MD.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much for tuning into our show. We hope you enjoyed another episode of Med School Minutes. If you like our content, please follow us and receive notification when a new show is posted. This podcast is brought to you by St James School of Medicine. For a video version of this podcast, please check us out on sjsmorg slash video.