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

Purifying Bacteriophages Using Anion-Exchange Chromatography Researchers from the University of Lisbon in Lisbon, Portugal created a new purification workflow for handling bacteriophages. Their findings and procedures were published in the Journal of Chromatography A (1). Alfama Lisbon Cityscape | Image Credit: © SeanPavonePhoto - stock.adobe.com Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and replicate in bacterial cells. They are believed to be Earth’s most abundant biological agent, being very diverse in size, morphology, and genomic organization (2). They are used in various applications, most notably in treating bacterial infections. This is especially important in giving the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Misuse of antibiotics may lead to a post-antibiotic era, where minor wounds and infections can have the potential to be fatal. Most antibiotics currently in use were discovered and synthesized in the 1940s–1960s, while many antibiotics in clinical 2 trials are onl...

Salmonella Phages Genomic Study Boosts Milk Safety In a significant leap forward for food safety and microbial control, a groundbreaking study published in Food Science and Biotechnology in 2025 has unveiled the genomic landscapes of four novel Salmonella-specific bacteriophages, accompanied by a thorough assessment of their combined efficacy as a phage cocktail in milk systems. This research represents a thrilling convergence of molecular biology, genomics, and applied food technology, aimed at addressing the persistent threat posed by Salmonella contamination in dairy products—a global public health concern. Salmonella, a genus of bacteria responsible for numerous foodborne illnesses worldwide, has long challenged food scientists and safety regulators due to its resilience and ability to contaminate a variety of food matrices. The quest for effective, safe, and natural antimicrobial agents to combat such pathogens has propelled the exploration of bacteriophages—viruses th...

iNtRON Bio, Demonstrated Toxin-Neutralizing Effect of IMPA™ Phage Engineering Technology in Colorectal Cancer Model and Completed the US Patent Application • Successful validation of payloaded anti-colibactin toxin phage using IMPA™ technology  • Demonstrated 'Dual-target Therapeutic Strategy' by bacterial eradication and toxin neutralization  • Filed the US patent application for the candidate substance and preclinical studies including PoC underway BOSTON and SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, a specific genotype of E. coli that may cause colorectal cancer has been detected in commonly eaten leafy vegetables such as lettuce, raising consumer concerns. Among these strains, pks+ E. coli is of particular concern. This bacterium produces a toxic substance in the intestine that causes DNA damage (ICLs, Interstrand Cross-Links), which leads to DSBs (Double Strand Breaks), and has been shown in numerous studies, including Nature (2023), to increase the ri...

University of Southampton unlocks phage potential against antibiotic-resistant bacteria ©Shutterstock/Lightspring As antibiotic resistance accelerates into a global health emergency, scientists are turning to an unlikely ally – viruses that kill bacteria. Now, new research from the University of Southampton has revealed how these viruses, known as phages, could be engineered to outsmart the sophisticated defences of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This breakthrough sheds light on a previously unknown bacterial defence mechanism and marks a critical step toward developing next-generation treatments that could one day replace failing antibiotics. Phages: Nature’s bacterial predators Phages, often described as ‘bacteria eaters,’ are viruses that specifically target and destroy bacterial cells while leaving human cells unharmed. Their unique ability to infiltrate and kill bacteria makes them promising candidates in the ongoing search for treatments against drug-resistant infecti...

PAS: The Fast PASS to The Future “ Two Can Play at That Game” by Ellie Jameson In recent years, antibiotic resistant bacteria, also referred to as “superbugs,” have become a major threat, adapting to withstand widely used antibiotic treatment. The fast reproduction of bacteria has brought constant mutations, with some mutations making stronger bacteria that survive and reproduce themselves. Ultimately this natural selection leads to bacteria that are strong enough to survive most antibiotics we have to offer. Bacterial evolution has caught up to human ingenuity and threatens to surpass it. These superbugs threaten to kill up to 10 million people per year by 2050, but antibiotics remain too valuable a resource to entirely replace. The only remaining option is to adapt with the times and develop evolving weaponry and treatment, harnessing man and nature to beat our old enemy. Bacteriophages are to a bacterium as a tiger is to a lamb. As the natural predator of bacteria, bacte...

Phage discovery gets its groove back with Phage DisCo Bacteriophage research has been all the rage, and for good reason; these bacteria killing viruses may be the solution to antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics are broad-acting drugs that kill every type of bacteria in their path. But this relief is short-lived. Bacterial pathogens can evolve to withstand antibiotics faster than the pharmaceutical industry can make them. With antibiotic resistance on the rise, it’s no wonder that bacteriophages are the newest viral sensation.   Unlike antibiotics, phage therapy offers a more precise approach to treat bacterial infections that is harder for evolution to evade. Bacteriophages – also known as phages – act as microscopic hitmen. To kill only their specific target, a phage recognizes a unique protein receptor found on bacteria cells’ surface. Phages that use different receptors are needed for phage therapy. Multiple phages with different targets are combined into a “phage cocktail” ...

Bacteriophage and bacteria strains blast off to space with NASA-SpaceX Crew 11 mission The NASA-SpaceX Crew 11 will study the effects of microgravity on disease-causing bacteria and bacteria-killing viruses. Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, Jaxa astronaut Kimiya Yui, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Control Building at the Kennedy Space Center for Space Launch Complex 39A July 31, 2025 in Cape Canaveral, Florida .( Getty Images via AFP) SpaceX has just launched its Crew-11 mission into space, and along with it, a 'secret' member: disease-causing bacteria. Or, at least, such bacteria will be growing aboard the ISS very soon. The crew will study the effects of microgravity on bacteria-killing viruses. According to Space.com, the bacterial strains involved in the study are E. coli, Salmonella bongori, and Salmonella typhimurium. They will be studied by NASA's Crew-11 mission, which successfull...