Abstract

Bacteriophages (or phages) are viruses that target bacteria. While the relationships between phages and bacteria are very ancient and based on complex co-evolutionary mechanisms, under certain conditions, phages can destroy bacterial cells. This potential has been known for over a century but is only now being widely exploited by humans, both in human and animal health, to treat bacterial infections that have become resistant to antibiotics, and in biocontrol, among other applications, in the hope of addressing plant bacterial diseases.

In this presentation, I will elaborate on what phage therapy entails and under what conditions it could provide a (partial) response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which does not contribute to the ongoing ecological disasters. I will particularly demonstrate how pluribiosis (the concept developed in the chapter I share with you) is important for understanding what is at stake in terms of responses to the systemic problem of AMR.

About the seminar series

The "Biosocial - So What?" series seeks to challenge traditional boundaries between biological and social sciences, exploring the complex entanglements between microscopic life/particles and human/animal living conditions. We aim to critically examine the concept of 'environment' and further develop biosocial theory and understanding across barriers of organisms and species.

Key themes we hope to address include:

1. Theoretical and methodological interventions for studying environment-organism relations

2. Implications of the 'organism multiple' for concepts of species and multi-species ethnography

3. Rethinking porous relations transcending the classical separations of the biological and social domains

4. Challenges and opportunities in studying biosocial phenomena in the Anthropocene

Practical information

The seminar series are organzied by AIAS and BioSinq. The seminars take place at AIAS and online.

Getting to AIAS

Want to participate physically or online? Please contact sofia@aias.au.dk to sign up.