Bugs as Drugs

Scientists are reinventing ways that bacteria can be beneficial for human health. Watch this video to learn more about how bacteria may be a next generation medicine using an example of people with phenylketonuria, a metabolic disorder that makes it difficult for people to digest a particular amino acid.

References:

Synlogic Therapeutics

Isabella et al. Nature Biotechnology volume 36, pages 857–864 (2018)

Ozdemir et al. Cell Systems volume 7, issue 1, pages 5-16 (2018)

NY Times. Scientists are retooling bacteria to cure disease. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/04/health/synthetic-biology-pku.html. Accessed March 19, 2019.

Mayo Clinic. Phenylketonnuria (PKU). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/phenylketonuria/symptoms-causes/syc-20376302. Accessed March 19, 2019.

Ongoing clinical trial information.