About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges chemists face in developing new antibiotics amidst rising antibiotic resistance.

The rapid spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria is already claiming lives and a far greater global crisis is on the horizon. In this three part series for Discovery, reporter Roland Pease traces how we reached this point, uncovers the forces driving resistance ever faster, and meets the scientists racing to outpace evolving superbugs before our lifesaving medicines fail for good. Episode 2 - The chemists' challenge. With all the low-hanging fruit in the antibiotic search space gone, chemists are having to work harder and be cleverer to top up the antibiotic pipeline. The chances of finding even one successful compound in a working life are low, but can new approaches like AI or genetics make the difference?

People in this episode

Host: Roland Pease

Topics covered

• antibiotic resistance
• superbugs
• chemistry
• AI in medicine
• genetics
• health crisis

Keywords

• superbugs
• antibiotic resistance
• chemists
• AI
• genetics
• health crisis
• antibiotic pipeline

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC World Service

Products: antibiotic, AI, genetics

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