Researching poo, pus and pseudomonads. Whatever for? 2010

Researching poo, pus and pseudomonads. Whatever for? 3^rd Annual Joint RSC/SB lecture at York University  

Professor David Pritchard presented his research into possible novel forms of treatment. 

Firstly he gave a shortened version of his lecture on hookworm (Necator americanus) (first presented to the Yorkshire branch at our annual symposium last year). Starting with a desire to understand how hookworm manages to avoid triggering reactions in the people in infects, he realised that the immunosuppressant effects could potentially be used to treat various allergy diseases in man.  Overinfection naturally causes morbidity, but could there be a level of infection that is manageable by a healthy human and gives beneficial effects ?  The work involved infecting volunteer researchers (including himself) deliberately with the parasites both to monitor the effects and to provide a constant supply of parasites for experiment.

This work has raised widespread interest in a public wanting an alternative to sometimes draconian drug treatments, but less so in the pharmacological world, raising funding for such novel research is as difficult as ever. 

The next section of his talk covered the use of maggots in wound treatment. Anecdotal evidence is that maggots eat necrotic tissue, encouraging better healing; but is there the evidence to prove this ? And if so what are the mechanisms in the process. Some trials have taken place in York itself (with inconclusive results), David Pritchard has started to look at what enzymes the maggots are producing. What for example do they do to stop being infected with the bacteria that are causing the wound tissue to rot ? Again the work is at an early stage but offers fascinating possibilities. What is needed is more investment in the basic science. 

The final part of his talk touched briefly on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and whether (and how) it could be exploited as to provide novel immune suppressants. 

The audience – a broad spectrum of biologists, chemists, generalists and A-level students, some had travelled from other branch areas (Birmingham and Manchester) to hear about this ground-braking research - was fascinated by what they heard and gave a rousing show of their appreciation at the end. 

The lecture was followed by dinner with the speaker and four committee members (two from RSC, two from SB) where the conversation continued on a distinctly immunological vein – hopefully not putting overhearers off their meals!