Using Viruses to Fight Disease

Phages are viruses that attack bacteria. People have been using phages to treat infections for over a hundred years, but in most cases they just don't work as well as antibiotics.

Paul Garofolo is the co-founder and CEO of Locus Biosciences. His problem is this: How do you genetically engineer phages to be more effective at curing disease?

In this episode, Paul explains:

• Why wild phages never completely wipe out a bacterial infection
• How to engineer phages with CRISPR to kill bacteria more effectively
• The clinical trial testing phage therapy for chronic, recurrent UTIs
• Why persistent bacteria may contribute to autoimmune conditions like Crohn's disease
• How to use robots and AI to create phage cocktails from wastewater

Connect with us:

• Follow Jacob Goldstein on LinkedIn, X and Instagram
• Email us at problem@pushkin.fm
• Follow Pushkin on Instagram, LinkedIn or X
• Listen to Jacob’s other show, Business History
• To listen to the show early and ad free, sign up for Pushkin+

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.