Superbugs that can’t be destroyed by antibiotics probably aren’t the first thing that spring to mind when you think about academia. But that’s exactly what occupies the mind of Liz Sockett, a professor of bacterial genetics at the University of Nottingham’s School of Life Sciences. Her work involves researching predatory bacteria – specifically a bacterium called Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus – which she hopes will one day be used to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which naturally invade and kill a large group of other bacteria (called gram-negative bacteria).
“My lab’s strengths lie in molecular biology research and gene discovery, and predatory behaviour by bacteria is an amazing molecular problem to tackle because it’s unusual,” she says. “When we make a discovery, we’re very often the first people in the world to see it, and there’s an indescribable feeling that comes from realising how nature works and then sharing it with other people.”
The thought of using whole living bacteria or their enzymes to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria might sound strange, but Sockett’s goal, and that of her team, is to help save lives. Currently, at least 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases. And many of the bacteria causing these diseases are susceptible to Bdellovibrio in the lab.
Antimicrobial resistance happens when bacteria and viruses are exposed to antimicrobial drugs, such as antibiotics, and become immune to those medicines, compromising our ability to treat infectious diseases. Without effective antimicrobials, medical procedures such as organ transplantation and chemotherapy become life-threatening.
The World Health Organization has called for “immediate, coordinated and ambitious action” to avert a “potentially disastrous” drug-resistance crisis. It warns that, without action, drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050, alongside damage to the economy as catastrophic as the 2008 global financial crisis.
Antimicrobial resistance is also putting the achievement of the UN’s sustainable development goals in jeopardy – by 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty. Finding new ways to treat bacterial infection is thus an urgent global challenge.
The University of Nottingham, which aims to be a world-class centre of excellence for research into antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance, is working towards the development of new drugs and vaccines. The research requires expertise in bacteriology, phage biology, parasitology, mycology, virology and beyond, and collaborations happen across a diverse range of fields, including chemistry, maths and computer sciences.
Originally from Newcastle upon Tyne, Sockett joined the University of Nottingham as a lecturer in 1991, having completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Leeds, and her PhD at UCL. She became a professor in 2006 and teaches several undergraduate classes.
“Most bacteria live outside of each other but Bdellovibrio is an invader, and I like the puzzle of it,” says Sockett. “My students like that too, and our lab team like those questions – it’s exciting to think you could see a gene changing bacterial process today. There’s curiosity and discovery, which is the reward.”
Sockett’s pioneering research was this year recognised by the Royal Society. She is the University of Nottingham’s first female researcher to be elected as a fellow to the UK’s most prestigious scientific body. She says of the honour: “It is recognition of what a fascinating living creature the predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is, and what amazing details can be discovered by working with diverse colleagues who bring insights, dedication and kindness to work daily.”
In the future, Sockett hopes that Bdellovibrio or their bacterial-killing “juices” will be used as an alternative to antibiotics. “Some people may find the idea of using bacteria as a treatment off-putting, but it isn’t unusual for us to buy a live, bioactive yoghurt drink and, subject to full safety testing, this would be a development of that in a way,” she says.
“I’m lucky to have worked in an area such as this, which is less ‘travelled’ scientifically; there are so many things waiting to be discovered. In my lifetime, I’m hoping that products from Bdellovibrio will help to cure infections. They might not necessarily be human infections – they could be in farm animals or in crops, as there is a global issue of being able to ‘feed the world’, and we’ve got to prevent losses in crops by preventing diseases, so any discovery in this area could also go towards tackling this.”
This type of research is costly, and relies on supportive funding from a variety of different agencies, including currently the Wellcome Trust. But, despite the challenges, Sockett is excited by the work and likens it, in terms of how much has changed since she graduated, to living through the space age.
“I didn’t realise then what was to come; genome sequencing has made so many things possible and the methods have improved so much since I was a student at university,” she says. “Our collaboration with colleagues such as structural biochemist Dr Andrew Lovering has also brought new insights and discoveries.
“Having a lab team of kind, enthusiastic people at Nottingham makes anything possible. The best part of my job is when one of our lab scientists discovers something new. They take me to see what they’ve found down the microscope, on petri-plates, on DNA or in protein gels: ‘You’ve got to come and see this!’ is one of the best phrases of my week.”
