Difference between revisions of "Team:Northwestern/Description"
| Line 26: | Line 26: | ||
<div> | <div> | ||
| − | + | Inappropriate use of antibiotics has escalated the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in many threatening diseases. In 2014, the World Health Organization classified antibiotic resistance as a global epidemic. Inactivating resistance genes via Cas9 nuclease-mediated cleavage has been shown to be an effective means of combating this epidemic; however, methods of in vivo delivery are currently limited. Our team aims to deliver Cas9 to antibiotic-resistant, pathogenic bacteria through submicron bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as a companion re-sensitization therapeutic to antibiotic treatment. OMVs are naturally produced by all Gram-negative bacteria and are used for crosstalk, stress responses, and nutrient acquisition. Their ability to be modified and directed with relative ease makes them an ideal carrier of CRISPR-Cas9. Aiding conventional antibiotic treatment, our technology will model a complete protein delivery system and transport functional Cas9 to target cells. | |
| − | + | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 01:50, 11 September 2017
Inappropriate use of antibiotics has escalated the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in many threatening diseases. In 2014, the World Health Organization classified antibiotic resistance as a global epidemic. Inactivating resistance genes via Cas9 nuclease-mediated cleavage has been shown to be an effective means of combating this epidemic; however, methods of in vivo delivery are currently limited. Our team aims to deliver Cas9 to antibiotic-resistant, pathogenic bacteria through submicron bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as a companion re-sensitization therapeutic to antibiotic treatment. OMVs are naturally produced by all Gram-negative bacteria and are used for crosstalk, stress responses, and nutrient acquisition. Their ability to be modified and directed with relative ease makes them an ideal carrier of CRISPR-Cas9. Aiding conventional antibiotic treatment, our technology will model a complete protein delivery system and transport functional Cas9 to target cells.
