Andrea Macdonald, founder of ideaXme, interviews Shu J Lam, PhD student in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at The University of Melbourne, Australia who is a warrior in the science world. She has recently developed a new class of antimicrobial agent, a star shaped polymer. The unique architecture of this molecule is thought to have the potential to succeed where antibiotics have failed in combatting the most lethal and threatening form of superbug. Gram-negative bacteria, a major class of bacteria known to be highly prone to antibiotic resistance “which has been named as one of the most urgent global health threats” have a new adversary.
“This discovery is so important. In the US alone 23,000 illnesses are caused by these antibiotic resistant bacteria a year. By 2050 if nothing is done about this issue, we will see 10 million deaths caused by this bacteria a year. Every 3 seconds someone will die.” – Shu J Lam
“My discovery, a new type of drug molecule, offers a way to potentially combat these infections. My research lies at the interface between Chemistry and Biology. It has proven to wipe out superbugs in mice and critically does not cause bacteria to mutate and acquire resistance which is a very important criteria for anti microbial drugs”. – Shu J Lam
The team included Professor Greg Qiao and PhD candidate Shu Lam, from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, as well as Associate Professor Neil O’Brien-Simpson and Professor Eric Reynolds from the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences and Bio21 Institute.
The Big Idea:
Technical challenge:
Gram-negative are a group of bacteria which have an outer membrane protecting the cell which stops molecules from entering and killing the bacteria. So Shu looked at the way our bodies combat infections by producing peptide molecules and taking inspiration from that she tried to improve on it. She used chemistry skills and knowledge in chemical engineering to manufacture these peptides on a larger scale. Her molecule has a unique architecture and it is this architecture that helps it to penetrate the membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.
“We infected mice with a superbug and tried to treat them with antibiotics. Half of the mice died. In a similar test we infected the mice with the same superbug and all survived when treated with my molecule. We would like to expand that and see if we can treat other types of superbug infections with the peptide molecules. Furthermore, we need to determine whether there are any toxic side effects. We have determined that it is relatively nontoxic to the body but we need more in-depth assessments.” – Shu J Lam
The Gram-positive superbugs, such as MRSA, have been perceived as a greater threat, yet Gram-negative are highly prone to drug resistance and harder to kill.
So what’s next?
Shu would like to ask for worldwide collaboration from scientists and drug companies to begin clinical trials to fast track her discovery. This would provide the best chance of her being able to take the process to the next stage and have the opportunity to maximise the potential to save millions of lives.
The people that she would like to hear from:
Shu would like to receive contact from International drug companies such as GSK and Roche as well as chemistry and/or biology departments of universities world wide. She would be particularly interested in collaborating with Professor James Collins, Founding Core Faculty Member, Platform Lead, Living Cellular Devices, Wyss Institute at Harvard University and Henri Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering & Science, Professor, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
What do you need most to take you to the next stage of your research?
“As well as collaboration from large corporations, we are considering alternative routes such as getting small investors involved and creating a university affiliated spin off company and that way ensure that we have more control in how we directed our future research of this drug but it is still currently open. But we are interested in talking to everyone.” – Shu J Lam
The Big Picture
“This is still not a prioritized research area. There is currently a movement towards getting this into one of the top research agendas in Australia. There is a great need for significant funding to be channelled into this area.” – Shu J Lam
Who she would like to meet?
Yoshimori Ohsumi, Professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology’s Institute of Innovative Research who won the Nobel Prize for his research on how cells break down and recycle their biochemical components.
The Question she would like to ask
What kept you going throughout your 50 years as a researcher?
The Human Story:
What is a normal day?
What do you do to prepare for working with superbugs?
Do you come from a family of scientists?
Who has influenced you the most?
What were the chief challenges in undertaking your PhD?
Can you tell us about the help and support and encouragement from your father?
How did you cope with the death of your father?
What else do you want to do in life?
Have you encountered challenges in what you do as a woman?
Career Advice from Shu J Lam:
Identify your interests in life. I would encourage the younger generation to open their eyes and try new things because you never know what you find in the process.
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