Scientists have discovered a new way of killing the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), using a toxin produced by the germ itself.

An international team of researchers, led by Durham University and the Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics/Centre Integrative Biology in Toulouse, France, are aiming to exploit this toxin to develop new anti-TB drugs. Dr Tim Blower, Associate Professor in the Department of Biosciences, and Lister Institute Prize Fellow will share with us his work on the project and the potential real-world impact of their findings.

TB is the world’s deadliest infectious disease with nearly 1.5 million deaths each year. Whilst most cases can be cured with proper treatment, the number of antibiotic-resistant infections are steadily increasing. We’ll hear about the new toxin discovered, called MenT, and how researchers built an extremely detailed 3D picture of it which, combined with genetic and biochemical data, has revealed its potential.

blowerlab.com