• Question: How will what you are doing help?

    Asked by annh to MarkF, Mark, Michael, Panos, Sarah on 25 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Mark Fogg

      Mark Fogg answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      At this very moment, answering all your questions will allow me to go to bed, it’s very late 😉

      My work will hopefully help find cures for some horrible diseases like Anthrax or MRSA

    • Photo: Panos Soultanas

      Panos Soultanas answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      Hello annh,

      I work on understanding the mechanism of DNA replication in bacteria. This is a very important process not only in bacteria but in the all living systems. One could even claim that life is all about replicating and propagating the DNA (genome) from generation to generation. When it goes wrong terrible thngs can happen like cancer. Understanding the mechanisms that underpin this process will help us fight cancer and also to find new targets for new antibiotics and antibacterial drugs.

    • Photo: Mark Travis

      Mark Travis answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      We are trying to understand what goes wrong to cause the immune system to attack the gut and cause inflammatory bowel disease. If we can understand what goes wrong, we can try and stop it or correct it with medicines to help people with the disease.

    • Photo: Sarah Burl

      Sarah Burl answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      I hope it will help develop new and better vaccines for children in the future.

    • Photo: Michael Loughlin

      Michael Loughlin answered on 25 Jun 2010:

      soory about taking so long to answer..been quite a list

      research wise I hope it will allow to understand what apparently harmless bacteria may be of threat toi immuncocompromised pateinets ion hospitals.. Bacteria healthy indivduals would defeat easily with their immune systems..may survive and multiply in those with weaker systems and so cause disease.

      I also want to see the effect of cleaning products and disinfectants upon bacteria found in hospitals…do they become resistant to antibiotics..which would just add to the problem.

      In teaching i want those stundets who don’t want to do micro as a specialisation, at least understand more about the topic, their uses, how they cause disease and so on.
      For those who are interested i hope they will see the wider picture about micro, get invloved in research, that gets published ( which some has..not all but some) and feel they have the skills to do what they want to do career wise

      good question

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