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/!\\ NEW INSIGHTS IN PHAGE THERAPY RESEARCH /!\\
After two years of research
, my first PhD paper on interactions between bacteriophages and human cells is finally out on @biorxivpreprint! 
#phagetherapy #phageresearch #microbiology #science
THREAD
https://twitter.com/biorxivpreprint/status/1303532849228910594
After two years of research
, my first PhD paper on interactions between bacteriophages and human cells is finally out on @biorxivpreprint! #phagetherapy #phageresearch #microbiology #science
THREAD
https://twitter.com/biorxivpreprint/status/1303532849228910594
HOW CAN HUMAN CELLS INFLUENCE THE EFFICACY OF PHAGE THERAPY?
Our main findings are:
1-Each cell type will uptake phages at different rates
2-Size does matter - I’ll explain later
3-Cells are a major sink for active phages during phage therapy
Our main findings are:
1-Each cell type will uptake phages at different rates
2-Size does matter - I’ll explain later
3-Cells are a major sink for active phages during phage therapy
1.PHAGE UPTAKE DEPENDS ON THE CELL TYPE
Phages are present in small quantities but great diversity in the human body.
During phage therapy, a huge amount of a single phage is administered all at once and we have no idea how our cells are reacting to this!
Phages are present in small quantities but great diversity in the human body.
During phage therapy, a huge amount of a single phage is administered all at once and we have no idea how our cells are reacting to this!
To understand how cells interact with phages I simply filmed them under a microscope 
Here we have the cells in purple and blue, and the phages in green. For each cell line we tested, the uptake rate of phages was different!
Here we have the cells in purple and blue, and the phages in green. For each cell line we tested, the uptake rate of phages was different!
2.SIZE DOES MATTER
Is phage size influencing the uptake?
We used these three phage warriors to answer this question.
(image credit: “Life in our Phage World” by Forest Rohwer)
Is phage size influencing the uptake?
We used these three phage warriors to answer this question.
(image credit: “Life in our Phage World” by Forest Rohwer)
We looked at the rate of uptake between these phages and three of our chosen cell lines.
Guess what? The smaller the phages are, the higher the uptake is!
SIZE DOES MATTER! 
Guess what? The smaller the phages are, the higher the uptake is!
SIZE DOES MATTER!
We know now that phages are being uptaken by cells, at different rates, and that the size of the phage also influences these uptake rates.
But what happens to the phages once they get inside of the cells?
But what happens to the phages once they get inside of the cells?
3.CELLS ARE A SINK FOR ACTIVE PHAGES
To check if phages are being inactivated inside of cells, I quantified both the active phages and the total number of phage DNA copies after 30s or 18h of incubation.
To check if phages are being inactivated inside of cells, I quantified both the active phages and the total number of phage DNA copies after 30s or 18h of incubation.
And the results are really surprising!
In less than 30s, phages are able to bind to the cell layer before being internalized over time.
AND in these 30s, a high number of phages are being inactivated!
In less than 30s, phages are able to bind to the cell layer before being internalized over time.
AND in these 30s, a high number of phages are being inactivated!
To answer my initial question:
HOW CAN HUMAN CELLS INFLUENCE THE EFFICACY OF PHAGE THERAPY?
By directly interacting with phages, human cells can influence the number of active phages reaching the infected zone in the body and impact the outcome of phage therapy!
HOW CAN HUMAN CELLS INFLUENCE THE EFFICACY OF PHAGE THERAPY?By directly interacting with phages, human cells can influence the number of active phages reaching the infected zone in the body and impact the outcome of phage therapy!
Finally, all of this wouldn’t have been possible without my lab @thebarrlab_aus, my supervisor @JeremyJBarr and my amazing colleagues @NandoGordillo, @chinhoe589, @Sofia, @Laura, @raga_rob and of course @MonashUni @MonashBiol!
Spread the phage gospel! Hit RT on the first tweet of this thread, chuck me a follow…
And see you next time in the lab!
#staysafe #wearamask
And see you next time in the lab!
#staysafe #wearamask
