Healthcare professionals are searching for new ways to fight bacterial infections as growing concerns around antibiotic resistance reach new heights. Though bacteriophages or phages—viruses that infect only bacteria—have long since captured scientists’ attention, they are quickly gaining popularity as a new and promising therapeutic tool. In this episode, Graham Hatfull, professor of biological sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, speaks with host Deborah Borfitz about his team’s research and diligent work to showcase phages as versatile therapeutic agents.
Hatfull also talks about the impressive findings produced by experimental phage therapy clinical trials and the barriers that currently prevent phages from ubiquitous antibacterial clinical use. He discusses his team’s efforts to sequence phages and build a therapeutic library, the role of phage therapy in combating tuberculosis and cystic fibrosis, and the novel benefits phages bring to transplant recipients. Hatfull also addresses the FDA’s support of phage therapy through expanded access for compassionate use and the global push to enter phages into their first-ever randomized controlled trial.
Links from this episode:
Clinical Research Newz
University of Pittsburgh
Phage Therapy of Mycobacterium Infections: Compassionate Use of Phages in 20 Patients With Drug-Resistant Mycobacterial Disease
SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science)
FDA Expanded Access for Compassionate Use
Phage Australia
Healthcare professionals are searching for new ways to fight bacterial infections as growing concerns around antibiotic resistance reach new heights. Though bacteriophages or phages—viruses that infect only bacteria—have long since captured scientists’ attention, they are quickly gaining popularity as a new and promising therapeutic tool. In this episode, Graham Hatfull, professor of biological sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, speaks with host Deborah Borfitz about his team’s research and diligent work to showcase phages as versatile therapeutic agents.
Hatfull also talks about the impressive findings produced by experimental phage therapy clinical trials and the barriers that currently prevent phages from ubiquitous antibacterial clinical use. He discusses his team’s efforts to sequence phages and build a therapeutic library, the role of phage therapy in combating tuberculosis and cystic fibrosis, and the novel benefits phages bring to transplant recipients. Hatfull also addresses the FDA’s support of phage therapy through expanded access for compassionate use and the global push to enter phages into their first-ever randomized controlled trial.
Links from this episode:
Clinical Research Newz
University of Pittsburgh
Phage Therapy of Mycobacterium Infections: Compassionate Use of Phages in 20 Patients With Drug-Resistant Mycobacterial Disease
SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science)
FDA Expanded Access for Compassionate Use
Phage Australia