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Other Newcastle events

Are microbes and metals the future of medicine?

No step-free access to the venue and the function room. There is a mobile ramp for accessibility.
Over 18s only.
Past event - 2022
09 May Doors 7pm
Event 7.30-9.30pm
The Town Wall, Pink Lane,
Newcastle NE1 5HX
Sold Out!
In our bodies, relationships with microbes can be a blessing and a curse. But what if we can control our gut bacteria to help us with diseases? With antibiotic resistance on the rise, what if there was an antimicrobial agent all along that was never considered? Copper has been used to kill bacteria for thousands of years - could this be the solution? Join us to find out!

I’ve got a gut feeling about this: shaping the microbial world within

Lauren Beck (PhD Student)
The ‘gut microbiome’ refers to the millions of microorganisms that live in our intestinal tract, a community which plays a huge role in our day-to-day life. This begs the question: can we manipulate these communities to benefit us and to protect us from disease? And how can we separate hope from hype?    

Copper - our savoir from germs that evade antibiotics? 

Samantha Firth (PhD Student)
Humans have used copper to kill germs to promote healthy living for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians stored drinking water in copper pots and Romans treated wounds with copper. It wasn’t known what “germs” or “infections” were, but the copper prevented illness. We now know germs can make us sick but also how to fight them with modern sanitation and antibiotics. We still use copper: in water pipes, to dress wounds, and hospitals use copper fittings to prevent the spread of germs. Why is copper good at killing germs? Some germs can evade antibiotics - could copper be the answer? 
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