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

Illinois-led Initiative Will Build Precision Phage Platform for Promoting Health Electron micrographs of bacterial viruses, also known as phages. Hatoum-Aslan lab, University of Illinois University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign scientists, including   bioengineering   professor   Sergei Maslov   and   microbiology  professor  Asma Hatoum-Aslan , will partner with investigators from several industrial and academic institutions on a five-year, up to $28M initiative funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health and overseen by Program Manager Andrew Brack, PhD. The project, “Microbe/phage Investigation for Generalized Health TherapY (MIGHTY),” aims to harness the natural predators of bacteria – known as phages – as precision tools to shape the human microbiome and promote health. “We are very excited to be hosting this project at the [Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology],” said IGB Director Gene Robinson. “The new ARPA-H agency aims to...

Isolation, Engineering, and Ecology of Temperate Phages in the Human Gut The human gut contains a large and dynamic microbial ecosystem that includes numerous bacteriophages. Temperate phages capable of lysogeny play an important role in shaping bacterial diversity, facilitating gene exchange, and maintaining ecological stability. Recent metagenomic advances have revealed immense viral diversity within the gut microbiome; however, the functional behavior and induction dynamics of prophages remain poorly understood. About 90% of gut bacteria have prophages, yet the triggers and conditions that cause the transition from the lysogenic to the lytic cycles are not fully characterized. It is necessary to understand these dynamics to elucidate the phage-driven modification of host microbial populations and their potential roles in human health and disease. This study aimed to identify inducible prophages in diverse human gut bacterial isolates and to determine how environmental stimuli, polyl...

 Phagos raises €25m to end bacterial disease  The company holds the first authorization to market personalized veterinary phage-based treatments on EU soil  ● Founded in 2021, Phagos is ushering in a new era in the fight against bacterial disease with bacteriophages, a powerful alternative to antibiotics. Thanks to an unprecedented regulatory breakthrough and a discovery platform combining microbiology and AI, Phagos offers the first phage-based drugs for veterinary use, a market worth tens of billions of dollars. The company plans to expand further as phage therapy becomes accepted in human health.                              ● The funding round was co-led by CapAgro, Hoxton Ventures, CapHorn, and Demeter alongside Acurio Ventures, Citizen Capital, Entrepreneur First, Founders Capital, and Station F.  ● Objectives: deploy veterinary treatments in the field, develop the next generation of pat...

March 6, 2026 Seminar - Dr. Alexander Hynes Dr. Alexander Hynes Associate Professor, Medicine, Farncombe Family Chair in Phage Biology, McMaster University PI:  Prof. Marcus Dillon 12 to 1 PM IB 140 & Zoom Title Biasing Bacteriophage Behaviours Abstract Viruses that infect bacteria - bacteriophages - are known for their ability to lyse bacteria. However, this is not the only outcome of phage infection. Temperate phages can enter a lytic or lysogenic cycle - the former leading to lysis, the latter akin to dormancy. These phages are responsible for over 10^23 infections  per second , and >75% bacteria already contain within their genomes at least one dormant phage awaiting the right signal to wake and lyse its host. The decision between lysis and lysogeny is arguably the most important in all of biology. We investigate how to bias this decision to better manipulate bacterial populations. Through high-throughput screens to identify new phage-waking signals, exploiting anti...

'Bigfoot' virus found: New phage targets Legionnaires' disease-causing bacteria L-R: The newly discovered LME-1 phage as seen under a transmission electron microscope, and a high-resolution image showing the detailed structure of LME-1. Credit: Beth Nicholson, Justin Deme and Susan Lea University of Toronto researchers have made the first discovery of a virus that infects Legionella pneumophila, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease. The findings,  published in  Science Advances , open the door for the use of bacterial viruses—also known as bacteriophages, or phages for short—to treat Legionella infections and uncover a surprising insight into how the bacteria evolved to cause disease. In addition to isolating the new phage, named LME-1, the researchers also showed that it could infect Legionella pneumophila and inhibit the bacteria's growth in human macrophages, the  immune cells  where these bacteria typically reside. LME-1 was identified by a team of res...

Cytophage Receives Federal Support for Entry into European Market through France Biomanufacturing Mission WINNIPEG, September 29, 2025 — Cytophage Technologies Ltd. (“Cytophage” or the “Company”) (TSXV: CYTO, FSE: 70G) announced its participation in the Canadian biomanufacturing mission held in Lyon and Paris, France from September 21-25, 2025 under the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP). This government-led initiative, organized by Global Affairs Canada and the National Research Council of Canada, brought together leading Canadian companies to explore co-innovation opportunities within the French bioeconomy. “We engaged with prospective European partners on this mission to help advance the commercialization of our bacteriophage products globally,” said Dr. Steven Theriault, CEO of Cytophage. “We were honoured to represent Canadian innovation alongside our esteemed industry peers, and grateful for the federal government’s support for this mission. We extend our sincere th...

How bacteria 'vaccinate' themselves with genetic material from dormant viruses Summary: Scientists say they have shed new light on how bacteria protect themselves from certain phage invaders -- by seizing genetic material from weakened, dormant phages and using it to 'vaccinate' themselves to elicit an immune response. Like people, bacteria get invaded by viruses. In bacteria, the viral invaders are called bacteriophages, derived from the Greek word for bacteria-eaters, or in shortened form, "phages." Scientists have sought to learn how the single-cell organisms survive phage infection in a bid to further understand human immunity and develop ways to combat diseases. Now, Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have shed new light on how bacteria protect themselves from certain phage invaders -- by seizing genetic material from weakened, dormant phages and using it to "vaccinate" themselves to elicit an immune response. In their experiments, the s...