Bacteriophages against antibiotic resistant bacteria

In the University of Jyväskylä, we study phages that recognize plasmid-encoded features on bacterial cells. These can be pili, proteins responsible for initiating conjugation, or other components. In other words, these phages specifically infect only those bacteria that harbour plasmids, which also host antibiotic resistance genes. Therefore, plasmid-dependent phages provide a mean to attack antibiotic resistant bacteria in those cases where the resistance in encoded from a plasmid.

Our focus is both in on understanding the basic interactions between bacteria and their viruses as well as on developing real applications for the phage-therapy field. We have a spin-out company PrecisionPhage Oy to utilize some of the tools and IP that were initially developed for basic research.