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Bugs! Microbes are everywhere and our body is fighting a constant battle to keep them at bay, however, microbes can also aid the workings of the human body. These talks will give you an insight into the bacteria that we encounter on a daily basis and how these bacteria can develop resistance to evade our defences.
Antibiotic resistance and why it matters to you
Professor Laura Piddock
(Professor of Microbiology, University of Birmingham)
Antibiotic resistance may be ‘as big a threat to human health as climate change’. Is this statement true? If so, what does it mean for the way we treat infections and will drugs be effective in future? What can we do to help resolve the antimicrobial resistance crisis? Tonight Laura will discuss appropriate antibiotic use (do GPs overprescribe?), the level of resistance (is it the same in the UK as in other countries?) and the pathogens that we should really be concerned about. Laura will also cover how bacteria become drug resistant, and what can be done to resolve the issue of resistance.
Bacteria in your body: the good, the bad and the bugly
Dr Jonathan Cox
(Lecturer in Microbiology, Aston University)
Like it or not, our bodies are covered in bacteria both inside and out. Most of these microbes live in perfect harmony with us, and some even benefit the human condition. However, given the right set of circumstances our friends (friendly bacteria) can quickly become our enemies (pathogenic bacteria). Sometimes we can pick up bacterial enemies in our day to day lives that can cause us illness and disease. In this talk, Jonathan will guide you through some of the good and bad bacteria that the human body encounters on a daily basis.
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