Reinventing the fight against bacteria, one phage at a time.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Bacteriophages The testimony of  Sara Sybesma Tolsma I returned from a conference in Washington, DC recently. It’s an event I look forward to every year. I got to spend nearly four days talking with people who love bacteriophages (phages) as much as I do! Because I’m still on a scientific high from the meeting I can’t resist the opportunity to blog about bacteriophages. Don’t expect some profound theological insight. I simply want to see if I can get you to appreciate this curious, tiny piece of God’s amazing creation and to experience the awe and wonder I have the privilege of experiencing regularly when I work in the laboratory—a gift I never take for granted. What are bacteriophages? Phages are viruses that infect bacteria. They are tiny, you need an electron microscope to visualize them. They are exceedingly abundant. Scientists estimate that there are 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (1031) on our planet. I don’t know about you, but ...

What the future of acne therapy may look like Bacteriophages and CRISPR technology, and even an acne vaccine, could be on the horizon. Bacteriophages and genetic modification using CRISPR technology could be acne treatments of the future, delegates heard at the Australasian College of Dermatologists annual scientific meeting in Brisbane earlier this month. “In the next 12 months, this is going to be a really exciting space to watch,” said dermatologist Dr Lisa Byrom, senior lecturer at the University of Queensland. Dr Byrom said she “absolutely” believed we would one day have acne cures, akin to how monoclonal antibodies have revolutionised the management of many conditions. Her talk outlined several major advances in acne treatments in recent years, saying therapies targeting the microbiome had gained “tremendous interest”. “We can’t talk about acne without talking about the microbiome,” Dr Byrom said. “Traditional treatments like antibiotics can reduce C. acnes but also disrupt the n...

Scientists want to tackle the coronavirus with…phages Phages could potentially be used to save seriously ill corona patients. Phages – also known as bacteriophages in full – are viruses that target bacteria. Scientists discovered them at the end of the nineteenth century, after which they were briefly used to combat certain bacterial infections. With the rise of antibiotics, phages were somewhat forgotten. But in recent years, this has changed – partly because more and more bacteria appear to be resistant to antibiotics. And now there is cautious re-examination of whether phages – actually the natural enemies of bacteria – can be used to kill (pathogenic bacteria) . But bacteriophages can also play a significant role in the corona crisis, according to researcher Marcin Wojewozic – affiliated with the University of Birmingham – in the journal Phage: Therapy, Applications and Research . Two approaches Because phages target bacteria, they cannot directly attack the coronavirus. However, t...

Phage-Mediated Dissemination of Virulence Determinants in Salmonella enterica : A Global Genomic Analysis and the Emergence of Bacterial Countermeasures Abstract The global health burden of Salmonella enterica , a leading agent of foodborne illness, continues to rise despite advances in detection, hygiene, and therapeutic interventions. Recent evidence points to an underappreciated yet crucial force in its evolution: bacteriophages. These viruses, long known for their roles in bacterial mortality and horizontal gene transfer, are now implicated in the worldwide dissemination of virulence factors that directly affect Salmonella pathogenicity, persistence, and host adaptation. A major international study, analyzing over 466,000 bacterial genomes and more than 5,000 phage sequences, reveals a dynamic virome acting as a conduit for the spread of key virulence genes. Unexpectedly, this study also uncovers an intrinsic genetic defense—centered on the bacterial csrA gene—that modulates ph...

Telomere Phages Arm Klebsiella pneumoniae with Interbacterial Toxins: A New Mechanism for Intraspecies Dominance and Antimicrobial Innovation The discovery of bacteriophage-encoded toxin–antitoxin systems in drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae reveals a novel viral contribution to bacterial competition, reshaping our understanding of phage–bacteria dynamics and opening new avenues in antibiotic research. A recent study published in Science Advances (Byers et al., 2025) has uncovered an unexpected evolutionary alliance between Klebsiella pneumoniae and a previously obscure class of bacteriophages known as telomere phages . These viruses, which replicate inside their hosts without killing them, were found to endow the bacteria with potent protein toxins capable of lysing rival bacterial strains—granting a significant competitive advantage without the need for phage-induced lysis or direct interbacterial confrontation. Artistic view The team, led by microbiologist Trevor Lithgow at ...

Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference 2025: Driving Inclusive and Responsible Innovation The Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference 2025, held at FAO headquarters in Rome, brought together a diverse group of experts and stakeholders to focus on “Biotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation.” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu highlighted the critical role of biotechnologies—including genomics, gene editing, AI-powered bioinformatics, and notably bacteriophages—in transforming global food systems to be more productive, resilient, and sustainable. Phages, viruses that specifically target harmful bacteria, are increasingly recognized as powerful, natural tools for improving plant and animal health without relying on chemical pesticides or antibiotics. Their use represents a promising biotechnological innovation to combat disease, reduce environmental impacts, and support sustainable farming, especially benefiting small-scale producers and vulner...