when I was young well younger I got your infections a lot
well younger I got your infections a lot
well younger I got your infections a lot the course of the infection would often
the course of the infection would often
the course of the infection would often go something like this I would go to the
go something like this I would go to the
go something like this I would go to the doctor and about an hour later we would
doctor and about an hour later we would
doctor and about an hour later we would leave with a one-week supply of some
leave with a one-week supply of some
leave with a one-week supply of some antibiotic whose name I couldn’t
antibiotic whose name I couldn’t
antibiotic whose name I couldn’t pronounce antibiotics are drugs that
pronounce antibiotics are drugs that
pronounce antibiotics are drugs that kill or inhibit bacteria antibiotics are
kill or inhibit bacteria antibiotics are
kill or inhibit bacteria antibiotics are also one of modern medicines greatest
also one of modern medicines greatest
also one of modern medicines greatest triumphs since they were discovered
triumphs since they were discovered
triumphs since they were discovered nearly 80 years ago they have greatly
nearly 80 years ago they have greatly
nearly 80 years ago they have greatly reduced morbidity and mortality and
reduced morbidity and mortality and
reduced morbidity and mortality and saved millions of lives across the globe
saved millions of lives across the globe
saved millions of lives across the globe in my case I would follow the doctor’s
in my case I would follow the doctor’s
in my case I would follow the doctor’s instructions and take the gross tasting
instructions and take the gross tasting
instructions and take the gross tasting medicine every day and has continued for
medicine every day and has continued for
medicine every day and has continued for a few days
a few days
a few days but after a few days I would start to
but after a few days I would start to
but after a few days I would start to feel better my ears didn’t hurt my fever
feel better my ears didn’t hurt my fever
feel better my ears didn’t hurt my fever was down my symptoms were gone I must be
was down my symptoms were gone I must be
was down my symptoms were gone I must be better I could stop taking the
better I could stop taking the
better I could stop taking the antibiotics even though the doctor
antibiotics even though the doctor
antibiotics even though the doctor prescribed them for a full week right
prescribed them for a full week right
prescribed them for a full week right but then a few days later I would get
but then a few days later I would get
but then a few days later I would get another ear infection and I didn’t
another ear infection and I didn’t
another ear infection and I didn’t understand why until now it makes
understand why until now it makes
understand why until now it makes perfect sense now it’s because of this
perfect sense now it’s because of this
perfect sense now it’s because of this phenomenon called antibiotic resistance
phenomenon called antibiotic resistance
phenomenon called antibiotic resistance the doctors gave me the antibiotics in
the doctors gave me the antibiotics in
the doctors gave me the antibiotics in hopes that they would kill the bacteria
hopes that they would kill the bacteria
hopes that they would kill the bacteria causing my infection in various ways
causing my infection in various ways
causing my infection in various ways like prevent them from making a cell
like prevent them from making a cell
like prevent them from making a cell wall and in these first few days the
wall and in these first few days the
wall and in these first few days the antibiotics did just that they killed
antibiotics did just that they killed
antibiotics did just that they killed all of the easy to kill bacteria which
all of the easy to kill bacteria which
all of the easy to kill bacteria which we call the susceptible bacteria but in
we call the susceptible bacteria but in
we call the susceptible bacteria but in this large a population of bacteria some
this large a population of bacteria some
this large a population of bacteria some individuals are bound to have random
individuals are bound to have random
individuals are bound to have random mutations and some of these random
mutations and some of these random
mutations and some of these random mutations are bound to make the
mutations are bound to make the
mutations are bound to make the individuals less sensitive to the
individuals less sensitive to the
individuals less sensitive to the antibiotic so after all of the easily
antibiotic so after all of the easily
antibiotic so after all of the easily susceptible bacteria are gone what’s
susceptible bacteria are gone what’s
susceptible bacteria are gone what’s left well these random mutants that will
left well these random mutants that will
left well these random mutants that will quickly spread and soon after I would
quickly spread and soon after I would
quickly spread and soon after I would have another ear infection but this time
have another ear infection but this time
have another ear infection but this time the same antibiotic would no longer work
the same antibiotic would no longer work
the same antibiotic would no longer work because the bacteria were already
because the bacteria were already
because the bacteria were already resistant to it here’s a video showing
resistant to it here’s a video showing
resistant to it here’s a video showing just how quickly antibiotic resistance
just how quickly antibiotic resistance
just how quickly antibiotic resistance can occur
can occur
can occur [Music]
[Music]
[Music] so we entered a building was basically a
so we entered a building was basically a
so we entered a building was basically a petri dish except that it’s 2 feet by 4
petri dish except that it’s 2 feet by 4
petri dish except that it’s 2 feet by 4 feet and the way we set it up is that
feet and the way we set it up is that
feet and the way we set it up is that there are nine bands and at the base of
there are nine bands and at the base of
there are nine bands and at the base of each of these bands we put a normal
each of these bands we put a normal
each of these bands we put a normal petri dish thick agar with different
petri dish thick agar with different
petri dish thick agar with different amounts of antibiotic on the outside
amounts of antibiotic on the outside
amounts of antibiotic on the outside there’s no antibiotic just in from that
there’s no antibiotic just in from that
there’s no antibiotic just in from that there’s barely more than this Nicole I
there’s barely more than this Nicole I
there’s barely more than this Nicole I can survive inside of that there’s ten
can survive inside of that there’s ten
can survive inside of that there’s ten times as much 100 times and then finally
times as much 100 times and then finally
times as much 100 times and then finally the middle band has a thousand times as
the middle band has a thousand times as
the middle band has a thousand times as much antibiotic and then across the top
much antibiotic and then across the top
much antibiotic and then across the top of it pour some thin agar that bacteria
of it pour some thin agar that bacteria
of it pour some thin agar that bacteria can move around in the background is
can move around in the background is
can move around in the background is black because there’s ink in it and the
black because there’s ink in it and the
black because there’s ink in it and the bacteria appear as white first you see
bacteria appear as white first you see
bacteria appear as white first you see they spread in the area where there’s no
they spread in the area where there’s no
they spread in the area where there’s no antibiotic up until the point they can
antibiotic up until the point they can
antibiotic up until the point they can no longer survive then a mutant appears
no longer survive then a mutant appears
no longer survive then a mutant appears on the right it’s resistant to the
on the right it’s resistant to the
on the right it’s resistant to the antibiotic it spreads until it starts to
antibiotic it spreads until it starts to
antibiotic it spreads until it starts to compete with other mutants around it
when these mutants hit the next boundary
when these mutants hit the next boundary they to have to pause and develop new
they to have to pause and develop new
they to have to pause and develop new mutations to make it into ten times as
mutations to make it into ten times as
mutations to make it into ten times as much antibiotic
much antibiotic
much antibiotic [Music]
[Music]
[Music] then you see the different mutants
then you see the different mutants
then you see the different mutants repeat this at 100 and after about 11
repeat this at 100 and after about 11
repeat this at 100 and after about 11 days they finally make it into 1000
days they finally make it into 1000
days they finally make it into 1000 times as much antibiotic as the
times as much antibiotic as the
times as much antibiotic as the wild-type that survived and so we can
wild-type that survived and so we can
wild-type that survived and so we can see by this process of accumulating
see by this process of accumulating
see by this process of accumulating successive mutations that bacteria which
successive mutations that bacteria which
successive mutations that bacteria which are normally sensitive to an antibiotic
are normally sensitive to an antibiotic
are normally sensitive to an antibiotic can evolve resistance to extremely high
can evolve resistance to extremely high
can evolve resistance to extremely high concentrations in a short period of time
we’re essentially playing leapfrog with
we’re essentially playing leapfrog with antibiotics we discover one and
antibiotics we discover one and
antibiotics we discover one and resistance comes a few years later
resistance comes a few years later
resistance comes a few years later penicillin was discovered in 1928
penicillin was discovered in 1928
penicillin was discovered in 1928 resistance came in 1940 tetracycline was
resistance came in 1940 tetracycline was
resistance came in 1940 tetracycline was discovered in 1948 and resistance came
discovered in 1948 and resistance came
discovered in 1948 and resistance came just five years later as a society we’re
just five years later as a society we’re
just five years later as a society we’re losing our antibiotic firepower very
losing our antibiotic firepower very
losing our antibiotic firepower very very fast running out of options for
very fast running out of options for
very fast running out of options for cheap and not so cheap antibiotics the
cheap and not so cheap antibiotics the
cheap and not so cheap antibiotics the era when pneumonia or tuberculosis was a
era when pneumonia or tuberculosis was a
era when pneumonia or tuberculosis was a death sentence could face us once again
death sentence could face us once again
death sentence could face us once again so in this post antibiotic era what will
so in this post antibiotic era what will
so in this post antibiotic era what will life be like and will every disease have
life be like and will every disease have
life be like and will every disease have a version 2.0 like my ear infections did
a version 2.0 like my ear infections did
a version 2.0 like my ear infections did well without antibiotics surgeries and
well without antibiotics surgeries and
well without antibiotics surgeries and transplants will become extremely
transplants will become extremely
transplants will become extremely difficult and procedures like neonatal
difficult and procedures like neonatal
difficult and procedures like neonatal care and chemotherapy will become tricky
care and chemotherapy will become tricky
care and chemotherapy will become tricky going to hospitals it’ll be more likely
going to hospitals it’ll be more likely
going to hospitals it’ll be more likely to get sick than to get better and as
to get sick than to get better and as
to get sick than to get better and as much as it sounds like a zombie or a
much as it sounds like a zombie or a
much as it sounds like a zombie or a sci-fi movie this could be our reality
sci-fi movie this could be our reality
sci-fi movie this could be our reality to be able to do anything about it we
to be able to do anything about it we
to be able to do anything about it we first need to understand the causes the
first need to understand the causes the
first need to understand the causes the first one being ignorant kids like me
first one being ignorant kids like me
first one being ignorant kids like me not wanting to take the full course of
not wanting to take the full course of
not wanting to take the full course of the gross tasting medicine but here’s
the gross tasting medicine but here’s
the gross tasting medicine but here’s another cause most doctors understand
another cause most doctors understand
another cause most doctors understand the problem of antibiotic resistance but
the problem of antibiotic resistance but
the problem of antibiotic resistance but somehow they’re one of the major
somehow they’re one of the major
somehow they’re one of the major contributors to it doctors may know
contributors to it doctors may know
contributors to it doctors may know which antibiotic to prescribe but often
which antibiotic to prescribe but often
which antibiotic to prescribe but often they don’t know how much of it to use
they don’t know how much of it to use
they don’t know how much of it to use too much too little the patient doesn’t
too much too little the patient doesn’t
too much too little the patient doesn’t get better so frequently they prescribe
get better so frequently they prescribe
get better so frequently they prescribe much too much and this is fine and all
much too much and this is fine and all
much too much and this is fine and all but when does it actually become too
but when does it actually become too
but when does it actually become too much well in 2014 doctors in the United
much well in 2014 doctors in the United
much well in 2014 doctors in the United States alone wrote over 266 million
States alone wrote over 266 million
States alone wrote over 266 million prescriptions for antibiotics
prescriptions for antibiotics
prescriptions for antibiotics that’s 835 prescriptions per thousand
that’s 835 prescriptions per thousand
that’s 835 prescriptions per thousand people okay that’s a lot but maybe there
people okay that’s a lot but maybe there
people okay that’s a lot but maybe there was just a really bad disease that
was just a really bad disease that
was just a really bad disease that spread to a bunch of people well it
spread to a bunch of people well it
spread to a bunch of people well it would be nice to know were that simple
would be nice to know were that simple
would be nice to know were that simple but the CDC estimates that over 30
but the CDC estimates that over 30
but the CDC estimates that over 30 percent of antibiotics prescribed are
percent of antibiotics prescribed are
percent of antibiotics prescribed are unnecessary most of them are for
unnecessary most of them are for
unnecessary most of them are for infections not even caused by bacteria
infections not even caused by bacteria
infections not even caused by bacteria so antibiotics would be useless my
so antibiotics would be useless my
so antibiotics would be useless my research is an improving antibiotic
research is an improving antibiotic
research is an improving antibiotic therapy by giving doctors an estimate
therapy by giving doctors an estimate
therapy by giving doctors an estimate for the least amount of antibiotic that
for the least amount of antibiotic that
for the least amount of antibiotic that they need to prescribe especially in
they need to prescribe especially in
they need to prescribe especially in developing countries the hope is that
developing countries the hope is that
developing countries the hope is that this could slow the spread of the
this could slow the spread of the
this could slow the spread of the resistant bacteria by prescribing less
resistant bacteria by prescribing less
resistant bacteria by prescribing less antibiotics I did this by finding a
antibiotics I did this by finding a
antibiotics I did this by finding a correlation between a low-tech
correlation between a low-tech
correlation between a low-tech measurement that they have in developing
measurement that they have in developing
measurement that they have in developing countries and relating it to an
countries and relating it to an
countries and relating it to an expensive one that we have in countries
expensive one that we have in countries
expensive one that we have in countries like the United States I then
like the United States I then
like the United States I then incorporated this correlation into a
incorporated this correlation into a
incorporated this correlation into a smartphone app where doctors in
smartphone app where doctors in
smartphone app where doctors in developing countries can enter a
developing countries can enter a
developing countries can enter a measurement from their test and my app
measurement from their test and my app
measurement from their test and my app will output the least concentration of
will output the least concentration of
will output the least concentration of the antibiotic that they need to
the antibiotic that they need to
the antibiotic that they need to prescribe so this could greatly reduce
prescribe so this could greatly reduce
prescribe so this could greatly reduce could greatly for long lives in
could greatly for long lives in
could greatly for long lives in developing countries but right now it
developing countries but right now it
developing countries but right now it might be worth it to take the full
might be worth it to take the full
might be worth it to take the full course of the gross tasting medicine
course of the gross tasting medicine
course of the gross tasting medicine [Applause]
”
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