new drugs,attack,bacteria,illness,bacterial esperanto,standing o TED Talks - Bonnie Bassler - How bacteria communicates

TED Talks - Bonnie Bassler - How bacteria communicates

posted by deathcow

8 months ago • 2589 views

tags: new drugs, attack, bacteria, illness, bacterial esperanto, standing o

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One of the best TED talks by an engaging speaker who knows her stuff. She earns a standing ovation for her discussion on the way bacteria communicate with each other, how we can take advantage of it to sidestep antibiotic resistant bacteria entirely, and more. Info: http://www.molbio.princeton.edu/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=27

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Comments

Wow, just... wow.

See this, everybody, just sift through this. I promise you, around 10:00 you'll start realizing the staggering implications of these findings and your jaw will drop and it'll stay on the ground till the end. If this is all true (and as far as I know there's no reason to say it's not), I have no doubt this is literally the future of medicine, literally THE gateway to the next generation in mankind's relationships with bacteria, both pathogenic and beneficial. Hell, I'm pretty confident I can go as far as saying this might even be the single most important discovery since Pasteur, Leeuwenhoek and Koch.

Thanks, deathcow, I will be forwarding this sift to all the English-speaking people working in the field of medicine that I know

written by EDD

| 8 months ago | CH

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Großartig!

written by dag

| 8 months ago | CH

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holy shit that was interesting. for some reason the end brought tears to my eyes.

written by deputydog

| 8 months ago | CH

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Microbiology is a fascinating subject.

Youtube version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVfmUfr8VPA

written by mauz15

| 8 months ago | CH

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I think I've seen most of the TED talks, and, as you said, this is one of the best. Had similar reactions as EDD and DD had. Just incredible.

written by Fletch

| 8 months ago | CH

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Sometimes, the next step isn't making the current method better, but making a different method that is inherently better.

We just have to wait for practical applications for this now.

written by demon_ix

| 8 months ago | CH

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Wait, you mean I cant pray for the mouse not to die and make him live?

written by JiggaJonson

| 8 months ago | CH

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*doppleförderung

written by dag

| 8 months ago | CH

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Double-Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Thursday, April 9th, 2009 4:39am PDT - doublepromote requested by dag.

written by siftbot

| 8 months ago | CH

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Here are a few short videos Bonnie did for bigthink.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UFi0cBVa2k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NoxOs-hcRU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofz2ZVRCDuU

written by eric3579

| 8 months ago | CH

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If I understand her correctly the new drug doesn't kill the bacteria but instead blocks the receptor whereby they all agree to attack you simultaneously.

So, wouldn't you need to keep taking the drug forever? If you stop blocking the receptor then the bacteria can agree to attack you again.

Am I missing something?

written by Arg | 8 months ago | CH

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Tags for this video have been changed from 'new drugs, attack, bacteria, illness' to 'new drugs, attack, bacteria, illness, bacterial esperanto, standing o' - edited by calvados

written by siftbot

| 8 months ago | CH

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I think the answer to your question is that it gives your immune system time to kill while the bacteria remains non-pathgenic. She does leave lots of questions. Like... if all bacteria use the same messenger how can this concept not shut down good quorum sensing also? And if you eat the squid does your poop glow?

written by deathcow

| 8 months ago | CH

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I actually managed to get a good nap listening to this while sitting beside my bed. I feel guilty haha

written by legacy0100

| 8 months ago | CH

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From what she described it ought to be possible not only to develop a broad spectrum drug that inhibits group behaviour in all species of bacteria, but also (very) species specific inhibitors. That sounds like very precise medicine to me. Also remember it's only the group behaviours which are inhibbited, the bacteria's individual functions should be unaffected.

Also, and perhaps more importantly in the short-term, even if you did need to take the drug for longer or even indefinitely, if it really doesn't cause selection in favour of drug resistant strains then that would be more acceptable than with traditional anti-biotic drugs.

I thought she presented her ideas very clearly and with a great deal of enthusiasm; if several sifters had an emotional response to this video then I suspect it was in response to the emotion in her voice. How odd that science is so often portrayed as cold-hearted and dispassionate.

Best post I've seen in a long time, kudos.

PS) She's hot!

written by andybesy | 7 months 4 weeks ago | CH

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