Future Tech: Almost Here, Round-the-corner Future Technology Podcast

Antibiotic resistance—the ability of bacteria to survive even large doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics—is a growing problem in the modern world, one that threatens the safety of everyone on the planet. But this hasn’t always been the case; not more than 20 years ago, the idea of antibiotic resistance was not really on anyone’s radar, which is a testament to how quickly the problem has developed, and therefore how time-sensitive it is to develop a solution. According to Dr. Vincent A. Fischetti, head of the Fischetti Lab at Rockefeller University, as well as the results from phase 2 clinical trials which put it to the test, the solution lies in a bacteriophage enzyme called lysin. On today’s episode, Dr. Fischetti explains how bacteriophages (commonly referred to as phages) kill bacteria, and how he and his team harnessed this knowledge in a way that’s led to the development of the first-ever alternative to antibiotics that’s been FDA-approved to enter phase 3 clinical trials. This potential treatment for bac