Antimicrobial Resistance Research

Therapeutics & Diagnostics

Modelling quorum sensing targeting therapies

Quorum sensing is a process by which bacteria regulate behaviour in apparent response to their own population density. Such behaviour varies considerably between bacteria, but for many pathogens it is integral to their virulent activities during infection. These include biofilm development, toxin production and release, cellular infiltration and cell death. In a clinical setting, interference of the quorum sensing process offers an alternative strategy to control bacteria activity, rendering them either benign and/or more vulnerable to the immune response and standard treatments. The effectiveness of quorum sensing drugs in vivo is very difficult to assess experimentally and much of the biological understanding is based on in vitro studies. Using mathematical modelling, we can systematically extrapolate in vitro knowledge to an in vivo setting, thereby enabling  predictions on how to optimise the therapeutic use of anti-quorum agents.
   
Staff: J Ward