Ep 51: Cassandra Quave & ethnobotany. Antibiotics & CRE growth in the gut. Sub-MIC & river biofilms.
We are back from summer break with a new discipline at our studio, ethnobotany! Click play to hear about the work of ethnobotanist Cassandra Quave, a.k.a. The Plant Hunter, in her quest to find new antibiotics, anti-infectives, and biofilm inhibitors in plants used in traditional medicines around the world. We learn with her about the vast chemical world still yet to be studied, and how a horizontal lab works with its collaborators.
In the news section, we bring you two recent research articles looking into the effects of antibiotics in two different ways: how broad-spectrum antibiotics use can influence the growth of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteria, and how the presence of sub-MIC antibiotics changes the structure and diversity of river biofilms. Enjoy!
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Relevant links:
- Cassandra Quave's personal website.
- Cassandra Quave's research group website.
- Link to Nature's Pharmacy Newsletter.
- Teach Ethnobotany YouTube Channel.
- Foodie Pharmacology Podcast.
Further Reading:
- Antibiotics promote intestinal growth of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae by enriching nutrients and depleting microbial metabolites. First article covered in the news section.
- Antibiotics boost tough bacteria in gut. Popular science piece on the first article.
- Sub-MIC antibiotics influence the microbiome, resistome and structure of riverine biofilm communities. Second article covered in the news section.
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