Antibiotics are widely used in society, but often misused. Medical microbiologist Kees Verduin discusses the future of antibiotics and the possible threat of antibiotic resistance.
The first antibiotic, penicillin, was accidentally discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. Since then antibiotics have been an effective treatment for various bacterial infections. A major disadvantage of antibiotics is that bacteria can become resistant to them. Doctors therefore need to be reluctant to prescribe antibiotics, as the more often you use antibiotics, the greater the risk that bacteria will become resistant. In some countries, however, antibiotics are widely used and in many cases misused. Is antibiotic resistance about to become a global threat?
Dr. Kees Verduin works as a medical-microbiology consultant at PAMM laboratories in Veldhoven. He advises doctors and hospitals on how to diagnose patients, what antibiotics to use and how to prevent infections. He is also a board member of the Dutch Working Party on Antibiotic Policy (SWAB).
SensUs competition on biosensors
This program is organized by SensUs in collaboration with Studium Generale. SensUs is an international student competition on biosensors, organized by Honors-students from the TU/e under the guidance of professor Menno Prins. A biosensor is a device that can measure a specific biomarker, a chemical substance in the body. There are many different biosensors that can measure different molecules. This year’s SensUS competition will focus on the development of a biosensor to determine the concentration of a specific antibiotic, vancomycin. A sensor like this would enable patients and doctors to monitor the concentration of an antibiotic in the body more closely. The competition will be held on 7 and 8 September 2018.