Resistance is futile

Hands-on at the exhibit

• Do the DNA dance – learn how mutations accumulate in an evolution dance mat game
• Play the antibiotic resistance coconut shy
• See the future of bacterial DNA sequencing for diagnosing infections

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Using advanced DNA sequencing technology in the fight against superbugs.

Superbugs are on the rise: evolving to become harder to kill with antibiotics. It’s been described as the biggest threat to modern medicine, but there is new hope. At this exhibit find out how 21st century DNA technology could change the way we combat killer infections. 

The rapid advances in speed and accuracy of DNA sequencing technology have expanded the possibilities for its use in healthcare. A team in Oxford is part of a consortium pioneering the study of bacterial DNA. By sequencing the DNA of thousands of different bugs, they aim to uncover why bacteria make us sick, how they spread, and how we can control them. So, instead of spending months growing and testing problem bacteria in the lab, they hope to spot resistance genes in bacterial DNA. This will enable them to quickly pinpoint the right antibiotic for the right germ, and speed up treatment.

Find out more about CRyPTIC and Modernising Medical Microbiology.

Presented by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, Medical Research Council, National Institute of Health Research, National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Wellcome Trust, The Royal Society, Minnac Marketing Consultancy Ltd, Gareth Jenkins-Jones and Adele Grindon.