In the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), groundbreaking research is crucial for developing new strategies to combat resistant bacteria. Two scientists, Fredrik Westerlund and Hana Sipova-Jungova, are bringing their unique expertise and innovative approaches to this global challenge, pushing the boundaries of what we know about bacteria, antibiotics, and resistance mechanisms.
Fredrik Westerlund, a scientist with a strong background in nanotechnology since 2010 extracts relevant clinical and epidemiological information from DNA. In 2015, Fredrik transitioned his focus to AMR, particularly plasmids—mobile genetic elements that enable bacteria to acquire and share antibiotic resistance genes. His research aims to isolate and study the DNA of bacteria that carry resistance genes. His work has already resulted in several published papers, contributing to a better understanding of how plasmids contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance.
“Turning DNA molecules into barcodes to read their sequence will aid to better identify antibiotic-resistant bacteria and transform diagnostic techniques.” – Fredrik
Fredrik’s latest project is to be carried out in collaboration with the PAR Foundation, where he is expanding his research to clinical samples to further investigate plasmid behavior. His goal is to turn DNA molecules into barcodes, creating a unique tag, by stretching DNA in nanochannels to almost their full length. This would allow him to “read” the sequence of the DNA. The hope is that this approach will provide a new way to discriminate between bacteria, potentially identifying antibiotic-resistant strains with greater precision. Fredrik has already demonstrated some of these efforts with bacteria obtained from urine samples, showcasing the potential of his work to transform diagnostic techniques in clinical settings.
Hana has spent the past eight years working with optical tweezers, a cutting-edge technology that uses light to manipulate microscopic objects. Recently, she shifted her focus to studying cells, using gold nanoparticles trapped in optical tweezers to observe and dissect their movements with incredible sensitivity. This breakthrough has allowed Hana to monitor the viability and health of cells. The applications of this technology in the field of AMR are particularly exciting, as it could be used to monitor the effects of antibiotics on bacterial health in real-time.
“My goal is to contribute to the fight against the world wide problem of the overuse of antibiotics by creating a method to monitor bacterial health and its responses to antibiotics, providing valuable insights into antibiotic efficacy” – Hana
By studying how bacteria respond to antibiotics at the cellular level in collaboration with the PAR Foundation, Hana aims to provide critical insights into antibiotic function and effectiveness, potentially helping to reduce the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. In the long run, this research could lead to the development of a new technique based on optical tweezers, capable of determining antibiotic susceptibility using only a few bacterial cells.
Fredrik and Hana’s work represents a powerful combination of molecular biology and biophysics in the fight against AMR. Fredrik’s focus on plasmids and DNA barcoding could revolutionize the way we identify and track resistant bacteria, while Hana’s use of optical tweezers to monitor cellular health could lead to more precise and responsible antibiotic use. Together, their research offers new strategies that could significantly impact global efforts to combat AMR.
As the world grapples with the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, the pioneering efforts of scientists like Fredrik and Hana bring hope for new breakthroughs. Their commitment to understanding and tackling this complex issue from multiple angles is an inspiring example of how interdisciplinary research and collaboration can lead to meaningful progress in addressing one of the greatest challenges of modern medicine — AMR.