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Showing posts with label superbugs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label superbugs. Show all posts

Thursday, September 22, 2016

New ways to beat superbugs, a Malaysian doctorate student discovered?


A Malaysian doctorate student is causing a buzz in the medical research field.

 Lam Shu Jie (pic), 25, and her team of researchers may have found a solution to the antibiotic-resistant bacteria commonly known as “superbugs”.

The team from Melbourne School of Engineering published a paper on Monday on a new treatment method.

Shu Lam A 25 year-old Melbourne Uni student has made a discovery that could be a game-changer for modern medicine and avert a serious health crisis.

The method uses star-shaped structures called structurally nano-engineered anti-microbial peptide polymers (SNAPPs).

SNAPPs are found to be highly effective in killing Gram-negative bacteria – a class of bacteria which is antibiotic resistant – without hurting healthy cells, according to the team’s article in Nature Microbiology.

Unlike antibiotics which attempt to kill the bugs chemically, the star-shaped protein molecules defeat them by “ripping apart their cell walls”.

She also found that it was important to have outside interest due to the research work's long hours and possibility of failure..

"I've just watched the Korean movie called 'Train to Busan'. I also like trying new cuisines and exploring cafes here because the food culture's very strong," she laughed..

She lamented that the initial experiments were daunting, which left her in fear..

"My experiments kept failing, but later I learned what went wrong. I like the investigating part of research. It's beyond being in the labs or reading books; it's also about speaking with other experts," she said..

The second child of three siblings still has strong ties with home..

"I try to come back for the Chinese New Year because I miss my family," she said while lamenting the loss of her father last year..

Despite her supervisor Prof. Greg Qiao reportedly saying that her research is still at its early stage, Lam has plans to continue her research in the field, while in the long-term, she expressed hope to establish a research group with experts upon returning home and also lecture..

She will complete her PhD in two months time..

The scientific breakthrough was picked up by many news portals including Science Daily, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the South China Morning Post.

Lam told South China Morning Post that she spent the past three and a half years researching polymers and how they can be used to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The Batu Pahat lass, who is to submit her PhD thesis in two months, admitted that she hoped to continue to work in research, rather than opt for medical training like her father who is a paediatrician.

“I think my career will be mainly focused on research in the medical field,” said Lam.

Her supervisor Prof Greg Qiao, who is also one of the 10 co-authors of the scientific journal, said the research was still in its early stages.

He told South China Morning Post that more work was needed to verify the best formula and structure, as well as determine dosage and test for toxicity, before the substance could be deemed safe for human use.

“Even with all the money in the world, it would take at least five years to get to the first human-test stage because many resources and much work are needed before commercialisation,” he said.

Superbugs stem from misuse or overuse of antibiotics, according to the World Health Organisation.

It lists anti-microbial resistance as a global concern that threatens our ability to treat common infectious diseases, resulting in prolonged illness, disability and death. The Star/Asia News Network.

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South China Morning Post
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“I think my career will be mainly focused on research in the medical field,” said Lam, who has already begun pursuing her passion in polymer research during her four-year undergraduate degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering.

“As an undergraduate, she would come to our group for summer work when she had time,” Qiao recalled of Lam.


These days when Lam finds the rare downtime between researching polymers, she likes to watch TV and explore the city. “Being in Melbourne, I have developed an interest in food and really like exploring new cafes and brunch places, so I spend a lot of time trying new food and walking around when I’m not working,” Lam said.

Lam moved to Australia for her foundation studies after finishing primary and secondary school in Malaysia, and is likely stay on in Australia after graduating at the end of the year.

“My main preference would be to continue to stay in research, but I am also looking at career fields outside of polymer research,” she said. “This research is going in different directions,” said Qiao. “One is killing the bug, the other is treating cancer.”

Her group is also examining the use of polymers as a drug carrier for cancer patients as well as the treatment of other diseases.

A key project at the moment is the synthetic transplant of cornea in the eye, which involves the use of polymers grown from the patient’s own cells in the lab to replace the damaged cornea.

The operation has already been tested multiple times successfully on sheep, and Qiao hopes to begin the first human trials in Melbourne within two years, working with the Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital.


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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Clean hands save lives, wash your hands to combat germs!

PETALING JAYA: The role of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of drug-resistant germs is the focus of the World Health Organisation’s annual “SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands” campaign this year.

Launched yesterday, the campaign is in line with WHO’s recently-released report on Antimicrobial Resistance: Global Report on Surveillance.

How bacteria become resistant
Bacteria grow resistant to antibiotics through natural selection. When drugs are used, some organisms may have ways of surviving. As they reproduce or pass DNA to other bacteria, those traits become more common, weakening antibiotics’ power.

The report states that there are increasingly more types of bacteria which cannot be killed by antibiotics. The report also stated that no one in the world is safe from this menace.

However, WHO also reported that should compliance with hand hygiene in health facilities increase from under 60% to 90%, there could be up to a 24% reduction in the infection of methicillin-resistant Stap­hylococcus aureus (MRSA).

MRSA, most commonly contracted in hospitals, is rapidly becoming more difficult to treat with current drugs.

“Whether it is the hands of the patient, their visitors or the healthcare team, people must remember to practise good hand hygiene in a healthcare setting, especially in hospitals,” said Patient Safety Council of Malaysia member Dr Milton Lum.

Good hand hygiene means washing the hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after touching a patient.

“Everyone has germs on his or her body so despite our good intentions in visiting our sick relatives or friends, we may actually pass on a bug unintentionally,” said Dr Lum.

Patients for Patients Safety Malaysia chairman J. Manvir said he believed that patients should also wear masks to protect themselves from airborne infections.

“Children under 12 should not be visiting patients, especially in hospitals.

“You may not be able to teach them to practise good hand hygiene but you can keep them at home to prevent them from passing on an infection to the patient as well as preventing them from getting ill,” said Manvir.

Antibiotic resistance has been around since the 1940s when the first antibiotic, penicillin, allowed doctors to kill off the many bacteria that were the source of different infections.

However, subsequent misuse of penicillin accelerated the natural evolution of the bacteria, resulting in the microbes becoming resistant.

Contributed by Tan Shiow Chin The Star/Asia News Network

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The world's leading health organization is sounding serious alarm bells about the problem of antibiotic resistance.