We are a team of microbiologists working in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, UK
MAKING AND BREAKING BIOFILMS
In many infections, bacteria and fungi form sticky biofilms. These comprise individual microbes stuck together in a self-produced slimy matrix. Biofilm infections are often found in people whose normal defences against infection are compromised (such as non-healing infected ulcers in people with diabetes, or lung infections in people with the genetic condition cystic fibrosis), or who have a an indwelling medical device (like an endotracheal tube to connect them to a hospital ventilator). Our research focusses on opportunistic bacterial pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and other members of the ESKAPE group of priority pathogens. These species are major causes of biofilm disease.
We build and use high-validity models of biofilm infection to understand why bacteria can form long-lived, antibiotic-resistant infections in different host sites. We look at how bacteria change their biofilm architecture, gene expression, metabolism, virulence and antibiotic susceptibility when they grow in models that mimic the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis, an endotracheal tube inside a patient, or a wound. We also use these models to test the activity of new antibacterial agents. These include natural products derived from historical infection remedies, which we reconstruct in our lab through collaboration with colleagues from the arts & humanities. We also work with partners who are developing antimicrobial polymers, small molecules or bacteriophage.
In many infections, bacteria and fungi form sticky biofilms. These comprise individual microbes stuck together in a self-produced slimy matrix. Biofilm infections are often found in people whose normal defences against infection are compromised (such as non-healing infected ulcers in people with diabetes, or lung infections in people with the genetic condition cystic fibrosis), or who have a an indwelling medical device (like an endotracheal tube to connect them to a hospital ventilator). Our research focusses on opportunistic bacterial pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and other members of the ESKAPE group of priority pathogens. These species are major causes of biofilm disease.
We build and use high-validity models of biofilm infection to understand why bacteria can form long-lived, antibiotic-resistant infections in different host sites. We look at how bacteria change their biofilm architecture, gene expression, metabolism, virulence and antibiotic susceptibility when they grow in models that mimic the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis, an endotracheal tube inside a patient, or a wound. We also use these models to test the activity of new antibacterial agents. These include natural products derived from historical infection remedies, which we reconstruct in our lab through collaboration with colleagues from the arts & humanities. We also work with partners who are developing antimicrobial polymers, small molecules or bacteriophage.
OUR MODELS OF BIOFILM IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS LUNG AND ENDOTRACHEAL TUBES
We developed a novel ex vivo system to study how Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other bacteria interact, evolve and become resistant to antibiotic treatment during chronic lung infection. As explained in the video below, we use pig lungs from a commercial butcher and culture them in the lab in conditions that closely mimic chronic cystic fibrosis infection. This lets us study pathogen pathology, community ecology and evolution in a very realistic context. Because the lungs we use are a waste product from pigs slaughtered for meat, this model is also very ethical and, in the future, its wider adoption could reduce the use of live animals in infection research.
The model is also amenable for use as a testing platform for candidate antibiotic/antibiofilm agents, and is available to clients via our in-house testing facility (research use) or via our industrial partner Perfectus Biomed Ltd (UKAS-accredited implementation),.
Following the success of the ex vivo CF lung model, we are now developing a new in vitro platform to grow biofilm on the endotracheal tubes used to connect hospital patients to ventilators.
Our research building respiratory biofilm models has been funded by the Medical Research Council, the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council, the National Biofilms Innovation Centre and the Monash-Warwick Alliance in AMR.
In the videos below, you can watch Dr Freya Harrison introduce the ex vivo CF lung model model and its impact, and Dr Niamh Harrington talk about her work exploring the transcriptome of P. aeruginosa in the model.
We developed a novel ex vivo system to study how Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other bacteria interact, evolve and become resistant to antibiotic treatment during chronic lung infection. As explained in the video below, we use pig lungs from a commercial butcher and culture them in the lab in conditions that closely mimic chronic cystic fibrosis infection. This lets us study pathogen pathology, community ecology and evolution in a very realistic context. Because the lungs we use are a waste product from pigs slaughtered for meat, this model is also very ethical and, in the future, its wider adoption could reduce the use of live animals in infection research.
The model is also amenable for use as a testing platform for candidate antibiotic/antibiofilm agents, and is available to clients via our in-house testing facility (research use) or via our industrial partner Perfectus Biomed Ltd (UKAS-accredited implementation),.
Following the success of the ex vivo CF lung model, we are now developing a new in vitro platform to grow biofilm on the endotracheal tubes used to connect hospital patients to ventilators.
Our research building respiratory biofilm models has been funded by the Medical Research Council, the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council, the National Biofilms Innovation Centre and the Monash-Warwick Alliance in AMR.
In the videos below, you can watch Dr Freya Harrison introduce the ex vivo CF lung model model and its impact, and Dr Niamh Harrington talk about her work exploring the transcriptome of P. aeruginosa in the model.
ANCIENTBIOTICS: CAN WE FIND NEW ANTIBIOTICS BY LEARNING FROM HISTORY?
Throughout history, people have suffered from infectious diseases. From the Black Death to modern “superbugs” like MRSA, troublesome microbes have caused illness, death, and changes in our behaviour and society. Our lab is part of a team of researchers from different disciplines – microbiologists, philologists, medicinal chemists and pharmacologists – who are working together to study the history of infectious disease, and to see if it can inform our future responses to pathogens. You can read more about the interdisciplinary team and our projects here.
Medieval European manuscripts contain numerous remedies for microbial infections, and the Ancientbiotics team has conducted detailed research into a reconstruction of an early medieval English remedy for eye infection. The remedy is highly bactericidal against biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and other a common causes of antibiotic-resistant soft tissue infections. Importantly, the recipe’s efficacy relies on combining several ingredients, rather than one single active compound.
Our work has thus far led to a Phase I safety trial of this preparation, and we are working to develop a synthetic version of this natural product cocktail amenable to development into an antimicrobial wound dressing. This work has most recently been funded by Diabetes UK and the MRC.
Throughout history, people have suffered from infectious diseases. From the Black Death to modern “superbugs” like MRSA, troublesome microbes have caused illness, death, and changes in our behaviour and society. Our lab is part of a team of researchers from different disciplines – microbiologists, philologists, medicinal chemists and pharmacologists – who are working together to study the history of infectious disease, and to see if it can inform our future responses to pathogens. You can read more about the interdisciplinary team and our projects here.
Medieval European manuscripts contain numerous remedies for microbial infections, and the Ancientbiotics team has conducted detailed research into a reconstruction of an early medieval English remedy for eye infection. The remedy is highly bactericidal against biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and other a common causes of antibiotic-resistant soft tissue infections. Importantly, the recipe’s efficacy relies on combining several ingredients, rather than one single active compound.
Our work has thus far led to a Phase I safety trial of this preparation, and we are working to develop a synthetic version of this natural product cocktail amenable to development into an antimicrobial wound dressing. This work has most recently been funded by Diabetes UK and the MRC.
