• Question: What is your main aim in the work you do and how does it affect the world?

    Asked by LBARS to Eleni, Hannah, Jenny, Oli, Steven on 7 Nov 2016.
    • Photo: Oliver Charity

      Oliver Charity answered on 7 Nov 2016:

      Hi LBARS,

      The main aim in my work is to reduce numbers of bacteria in animals (by killing them with viruses) so animals in farms are happier and healthier. These bacteria are the same type that cause disease in humans, so it impacts the world by reducing numbers of people getting sick from meat and eggs, and also helps doctors who are developing new methods to treat people who do actually get sick from bacteria.

      Although still a problem, this may not be as bad in the UK as we have really good ways of monitoring the bacteria. But in places like India and Africa millions of people die each year from nasty bacteria which invade their blood and organs.

      Hope this answers your question!

      Oli

    • Photo: Steven Street

      Steven Street answered on 7 Nov 2016:

      Hi LBARS,

      The main aim in my work is to discover new molecules that can bind to a single 4-stranded DNA structure (called a G-quadruplex) and no others. By doing this, these molecules would be toxic to cancer cells, whilst hopefully leaving healthy cells alone!

      Other diseases which could be treated by targeting a single G-quadruplex include HIV, Zika Virus, Herpes, Gonorrhea, type-1 diabetes, ALS and dementia.

      This is important and can affect the world because 1) cancer is a terrible disease that requires better treatments, and 2) there are lots of potential applications for molecules which can bind to G-quadruplex DNA, including in treating the diseases mentioned above!

      Steve

    • Photo: Hannah Bolt

      Hannah Bolt answered on 8 Nov 2016:

      Hi LBARS,

      The main aim of my work is to develop new drugs against a nasty tropical disease, called leishmaniasis. The disease is caused by parasites, so I try to make treatments that might kill these parasites and stop them causing the disease. Leishmaniasis kills around 30,000 people each year and can also cause really horrible skin infections and destroy the mouth and nose area. It causes long term disability and affects some of the poorest people in the world. There are about 1.3 million new cases every year! Hopefully, if my research works and we find new medicines that work well, the lives of thousands of people could be improved.

      Hannah

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