>>> PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR "QED WITH DR. B" IS PROVIDED BY -- "AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER FOUNDATION."

BOUNDLESS ENERGY FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>>> I'M DR. FREDERICK BERTLEY, IMMUNOLOGIST AND EDUCATOR.

SCIENCE IS EVERYWHERE AND FOR EVERYONE.

AND IT'S ALL AROUND US, SHAPING OUR LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

IN THIS SERIES, WE'LL LOOK AT CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH, TALK TO THE SCIENTISTS WHO ARE CHARTING NEW FRONTIERS, AND SOLVING TODAY'S PROBLEMS TO MAKE ALL OUR LIVES BETTER.

WHEN A SCIENTIST OR MATHEMATICIAN DEMONSTRATES PROOF OF CONCEPT IN THEIR WORK, THEY OFTEN USE A TERM Q.E.D.

QUOD ERAT DEMONSTRANDUM.

THAT ROUGHLY TRANSLATES TO QUITE EASILY DEMONSTRATED.

WELCOME TO "QED WITH DR.

B."

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I'M HERE WITH DR. THOMAS WITTUM, PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF VETERINARY PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY'S COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE.

AND WE'RE TAKING WATER SAMPLES OUT OF THE RIVER.

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SO, YOU GOT ME OUT OF MY ELEMENT, DR. WITTUM.

YOU GOT ME HERE, BY THE RIVER BANKS.

YOU'RE SCOOPING UP WATER.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

>> WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA.

BUT NOT JUST ANY ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA, WE'RE LOOKING FOR ONES THAT SHOULDN'T BE HERE.

>> SO, WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE, LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT.

YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA IN OUR WATER?

>> SURE, WE'RE FINDING RESISTANT BACTERIA THAT SHOULDN'T BE HERE.

WE WOULD EXPECT TO FIND THEM IN A HOSPITAL, IN VERY SICK PATIENTS, WHO ARE GETTING A LOT OF ANTIBIOTICS.

PROBABLY TO SAVE THEIR LIVES.

BUT WE'RE FINDING SOME OF THE SAME BACTERIA, HERE, IN THE RIVER.

>> FINDING RESISTANT BACTERIA IN THE HOSPITALS IS PROBABLY BAD ENOUGH, BUT THESE ARE SOURCES OF WHERE WE GET OUR DRINKING WATER.

THAT CAN'T BE GOOD FOR US.

IS THAT AN ISSUE THAT WE MIGHT BE DRINKING SOME OF THIS STUFF?

>> WELL, FOR THE MOST PART, WE WON'T BE DRINKING IT IN OUR HOMES BECAUSE THAT WATER IS TREATED.

BUT WE CAN BE EXPOSED TO THE RIVER WATER.

OUR PETS CAN BE EXPOSED.

ANIMALS ON FARMS CAN BE EXPOSED TO THIS.

SO, THERE'S LOTS OF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS OF FINDING THESE RESISTANT BACTERIA IN THE WATER.

>> MANY OF US, WHO ARE NOT VEGETARIANS, DO EAT ANIMALS.

IS THAT AN ISSUE FOR US INGESTING THESE MEATS IF THEY HAVE ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA IN THEM?

>> THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.

AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE DOING THIS RESEARCH IS BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THOSE RESISTANT BACTERIA THAT WERE ORIGINALLY IN HOSPITALS FLOW DOWN THE RIVER AND SOMEHOW GET INTRODUCED INTO FARMS AND THE ANIMALS ON THOSE FARMS, THAT SOMEDAY MAY GO INTO THE FOOD SUPPLY, AND THE POSSIBILITY THEY COULD TAKE THOSE RESISTANT BACTERIA BACK INTO THE FOOD SUPPLY, WHERE WE COULD BE EXPOSED THROUGH THE FOOD WE EAT.

>> YOU PUBLISHED A LANDMARK PAPER ABOUT THIS STUFF.

I THINK YOU WERE WORKING WITH PIGLETS.

CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT STUDY SHOWED?

>> YES, SO, WE WORK WITH THE FARMS ALL OVER THE U.S. AND ON ONE PIG FAR WE WORKED WITH, WE FOUND ONE OF THESE UNEXPECTED RESISTANT BACTERIA.

>> SO HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES THAT ARE DOING THIS?

I MEAN, WHAT'S THE LEVEL OF SEVERITY FOR -- FOR THIS WORK?

>> WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW WIDESPREAD IT IS.

AND WE DON'T THINK IT'S VERY COMMON.

BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME POTENTIAL FOR IT TO BECOME A BIGGER PROBLEM.

AND SO WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT LEVEL OF THE PROBLEM IS.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO INTERVENE NOW, AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW.

IT'S A SLOW GROWING PANDEMIC.

>> YOU JUST DROPPED THAT WORD AGAIN.

PANDEMIC.

WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS.

SO THIS CAN GET TO PANDEMIC LEVELS THAT CAN IMPACT NOT JUST LIVESTOCK, HUMANS OF COURSE.

>> YEP, ABSOLUTELY.

THE PROBLEM OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IS HUGE, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TAKE AWAY ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT MEDICINES WE HAVE TO TREAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS, WHO MIGHT DIE.

>> SO THE GREAT THING ABOUT SCIENTISTS IS, THAT WE'RE PROBLEM SOLVERS.

HOW ARE YOU SOLVING THIS PROBLEM?

>> WELL, MY JOB IS TO FIND THE PROBLEMS.

I WORK WITH OTHER SCIENTISTS LIKE DR. EMILY FEYES.

IT'S HER JOB TO FIND THE SOLUTIONS.

>> THANKS FOR THAT.

WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA CHECK HER OUT TO SEE IF SHE'S GOT THE SOLUTIONS FOR THIS BIG PROBLEM.

THIS HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.

THANK YOU, SO MUCH DR. WITTUM.

>> THANKS FOR INVITING ME.

>> DR. EMILY FEYES IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY'S VETERINARIAN MEDICAL CENTER, ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.

DR. FEYES, SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> HI.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AS WELL.

>> WITH THE RECENT FINDING OF ANTIBIOTICS IN OUR WATER, HERE IN OHIO, AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA IN OUR PRODUCE AND OUR MEATS, DO WE REALLY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS?

>> SO I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF.

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE BACTERIA ARE EVERYWHERE.

WHICH I KNOW SOUNDS PRETTY SCARY, AND I DON'T WANT TO TERRIFY EVERYBODY.

BUT WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO BE IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILY, AND THEIR PETS.

WHICH IS SOMETHING WE DON'T ALWAYS NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT WHEN WE THING ABOUT HEALTH CONCERNS THAT AFFECT US AS PEOPLE.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW BACTERIA ARE EVERYWHERE.

THEY'RE -- THEY'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME.

AND THE REASON THAT THEY'RE STILL WITH US TODAY, IS BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE TO EVOLVE WAYS TO KEEP LIVING.

SO IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT THEN WE HAVE RESISTANT BACTERIA IN MANY PLACES.

SO WE'VE HAD STUDIES THAT HAVE FOUND THEM IN OUR WATER SUPPLY.

WE HAVE STUDIES THAT SHOW IN OUR SOIL, IN OUR BODIES, IN ANIMALS BODIES.

AND WE JUST NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS.

AND WE NEED TO TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT.

AND THOSE STEPS WOULD BE THINGS LIKE WASHING YOUR HANDS.

WHICH I KNOW WE HEAR ALL THE TIME, WITH COVID NOW.

SAME THING FOR BACTERIA AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA.

WASHING THEM AFTER USING THE BATHROOM, BEFORE YOU'RE GONNA EAT.

AFTER YOU'VE PET YOUR DOG OR YOUR CAT.

WHEN YOU'RE IN THE KITCHEN, COOKING, PREPARING YOUR MEALS.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF AREAS WE'RE NOT AWARE OF, WHERE ANTIBIOTICS ARE USED, LIKE IN OUR PRODUCE.

THEY SPRAY CITRUS TREES WITH ANTIBIOTICS TO HELP THEM GROW AND PROTECT THEM FROM DISEASES.

AGAIN, WE TAKE STEPS.

YOU KNOW, WE WASH OUR FRUIT BEFORE WE USE IT.

IN REGARDS TO FOOD, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT ANTIBIOTICS IN OUR MEAT SUPPLY.

YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF BY COOKING YOUR MEAT PROPERLY.

THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ACTUALLY HAS COOKING TEMPERATURES THAT WILL KILL BACTERIA.

THESE ARE REGULAR BACTERIA AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA.

THEY'RE NOT RESISTANT TO HEAT.

>> NOW I WANT TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING YOU SAID, WHICH IS REALLY INTERESTING.

YOU SAID, "ACTUALLY, IT'S THE PRESCRIPTION OR USE OF ANTIBIOTICS THEMSELVES, THAT ACTUALLY CATALYZES OR KICKS OFF THIS ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT STRAIN."

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT?

>> SO, WHEN WE START OUR PETS ON AN ANTIBIOTIC COURSE, TYPICALLY, WHEN I WAS IN PRACTICE, I WOULD PRESCRIBE THREE WEEKS OF AN ANTIBIOTIC.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE LITERATURE SUGGESTED THAT THAT'S THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT'S NEEDED TO COMPLETELY CLEAR AN INFECTION.

I WOULD OFTEN TIMES GET CLIENTS CALLING ME BACK AT WEEK ONE, SAYING, "THE LESIONS, THE INFECTION, THE REDNESS, THE ITCHING, THE BUMPS, THEY'RE ALL GONE.

DO I REALLY NEED TO GO ON WITH TWO MORE WEEKS?

YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO REMEMBER."

WHICH, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

I HAVE BOTH KIDS AND PETS.

IT IS HARD TO REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE ANTIBIOTICS AND GIVE THEM ON TIME.

BUT I WOULD TELL THEM, "IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE ON.

BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE SEEING THE STOPPAGE OR THE RESOLUTION OF THESE OUTWARD VISIBLE SIGNS, WHAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING IS THE MICROSCOPIC WORLD.

AND THAT THERE IS STILL BACTERIA THERE, AND THAT THE ANTIBIOTICS ARE STILL FIGHTING THEM OFF.

AND YOUR BODY IS STILL FIGHTING THEM OFF WITH THE SUPPORT AND TIME TO DEVELOP ANTIBODIES, THAT THE ANTIBIOTICS ARE KINDA GIVING IT.

SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF YOU STOP IT, AND THOSE BACTERIA -- EVEN JUST A SMATTERING OF THEM, SAY TEN ORGANISMS, YOU KNOW, REMAIN, THEY CAN POTENTIALLY, THOSE MIGHT BE RESISTANT ORGANISMS THAT THEN WERE NOT KILLED IF THEY HAD HAD MORE TIME, MIGHT'VE ENDED UP BEING KILLED, NOW CAN COME BACK WITH AN INFECTION THAT IS RESISTANT TO THE DRUG THAT YOU WERE USING."

THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE CARE, LISTEN TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF YOUR DOCTOR OR YOUR VETERINARIAN.

YOU KNOW, TAKE THE DRUGS AS THEY'RE PRESCRIBED.

DON'T SHARE THEM.

DON'T SHARE THEM WITH YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.

DON'T SHARE YOUR DRUGS WITH YOUR PET.

TAKE THEM FOR THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME.

DON'T JUST STOP THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE FEELING BETTER, OR YOUR PET'S LOOKING BETTER.

IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU NEED TO CONTINUE THEM, CALL YOUR DOCTOR OR CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN.

AND YOU CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION RATHER THAN JUST STOPPING IT ON YOUR OWN, AND POTENTIALLY PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESISTANCE.

BECAUSE THE INFECTION HASN'T CLEARED AND YOU STOP TOO SOON.

WE JUST NEED TO BE CONSCIENTIOUS OF THIS BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE SUCH A BIG IMPACT.

SO WHEN WE USE THEM, WE USE THESE DRUGS WISELY.

>> TELL US ABOUT THE ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM AT OSU.

WHAT IS IT?

WHAT'S IT ABOUT?

HOW TO GET STARTED?

>> WHAT ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP IS, IN THE MOST SIMPLE WAY POSSIBLE, AND I LOVE THIS DEFINITION, IS IT'S USING THE RIGHT DRUG, AT THE RIGHT DOSE, FOR THE RIGHT DURATION, OR TIMELINE, SO THAT YOU'RE MAXIMIZING POSITIVE TREATMENT OUTCOMES WHILE MINIMIZING NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE.

AN ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM TAKES THE CONCEPT OF PRINCIPLES OF STEWARDSHIP AND BRINGS THEM TO THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYONE'S ATTENTION IN THE CLINICAL SETTING.

>> NOT JUST STUDENTS.

IT'S LIKE A WHOLE ECOSYSTEM.

THE STUDENTS LEARN IT.

BUT ALSO, YOU TRAIN THE PHYSICIANS AND THE PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL AND SO THAT COLLABORATIVELY, WE CAN ENSURE WE'RE DOING THE BEST BY THESE ANTIMICROBIALS.

>> YEAH.

I WOULD SAY YES.

SO OUR MAIN MISSION, KIND OF THE MAIN GOALS OF OUR STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM, IS TO ONE, TO BENEFIT OUR PATIENTS BY REDUCING THEIR RISK OF GETTING RESISTANT INFECTIONS AND GIVING THEM THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE.

IT'S TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS, SO THAT THEY KNOW THESE CONCEPTS.

AND THEY CAN PUT THESE PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE, INTO ACTION.

BUT WITH THAT, ALSO DOES COME EDUCATION OF POTENTIALLY FACULTY AND STAFF.

BECAUSE WE DO HAVE EXPERTS IN THESE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

AND THEN COMING KIND OF BACK TO OUR GOALS, THE LAST ONE IS TO BENEFIT SOCIETY.

SO, BECAUSE ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IS A PROBLEM.

NOT JUST IN THE ANIMAL WORLD, NOT JUST IN THE HUMAN WORLD, BUT KIND OF ALL INTERTWINED.

WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH.

IN FACT, WE SWEAR TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH IN OUR VETERINARIAN'S OATH, WHICH I DON'T THINK A LOT OF MAYBE THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS AWARE OF.

IT'S NOT JUST ANIMALS, WE CARE ABOUT PEOPLE, TOO.

>> DR. FEYES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU ARE A WEALTH OF ANTIBIOTIC AND ANTIMICROBIAL INFORMATION.

THANK YOU FOR SPENDING SOME TIME WITH US HERE TODAY.

>> IT'S MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> WELL, FOLKS, CLEARLY WE NEED TO LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT BACTERIA AND HOW THEY WORK.

AS YOU KNOW, I'M AN IMMUNOLOGIST, SO THIS IS WHAT I LOVE.

NOT ALL BACTERIA ARE BAD, SOME ARE GOOD.

IN FACT, ABOUT 100,000,000,000,000 GOOD BACTERIA LIVE ON US OR IN US.

MOSTLY IN OUR GUT, LIKE PROBIOTICS THAT HELP US DIGEST FOOD.

SO BELIEVE IT OR NOT, RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE TRILLIONS OF TINY BACTERIA INSIDE YOU.

THAT'S ALMOST EQUIVALENT TO THE NUMBER OF GRAINS OF SAND ON ALL THE BEACHES ON EARTH.

BUT WHAT IS BACTERIA?

BACTERIA ARE SINGLE CELLED SIMPLE ORGANISMS.

BACTERIA WERE THE VERY FIRST LIFE FORMS TO APPEAR ON EARTH, ALMOST 4,000,000,000 YEARS AGO.

THEY ROAMED THE PLANET FOR ABOUT 3,000,000,000 YEARS, BEFORE MULTICELLULAR ANIMALS STARTED POPPING UP ON OUR PLANET.

BY THE WAY, YOU AND I, ARE MULTICELLULAR ANIMALS.

OUR PETS TOO.

WHICH BRINGS US TO NOW.

EVERYONE IN THE WORLD HAS A UNIQUE SELECTION OF BACTERIA.

IT'S CALLED A MICROBIOME, AND IT'S SPECIFIC TO YOU, MUCH LIKE YOUR FINGERPRINT.

BUT YOUR MICROBIOME NEEDS TO REMAIN IN BALANCE AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THIS.

DECIDING WHAT IS HEALTHY AND USEFUL BACTERIA VERSUS WHAT IS DANGEROUS OR INVASIVE.

NOW LETS GO BACK TO DR. WITTUM'S RESEARCH.

REMEMBER THAT REPEATED AND IMPROPER USE OF ANTIBIOTICS ARE THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF THE INCREASE IN DRUG RESISTANT BACTERIA.

BUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS?

ANTIBIOTICS KILL OFF GOOD BACTERIA AS WELL AS BAD BACTERIA.

AND SOMETIMES, NOT ALL THE BACTERIA DIED.

THE BACTERIA THAT'S LEFT FIND A WAY TO SURVIVE, AND REPRODUCE.

THE MORE ANTIBIOTICS THOSE BACTERIA COME IN CONTACT WITH, THE MORE RESISTANT THEY BECOME, TO A POINT WHERE NONE OF OUR ANTIBIOTIC PANELS WILL KILL THEM, AND THEY BECOME SUPER BUGS.

THE SOLUTION IS NOT QUICK, NOR EASY.

WHAT DR. FEYES SAID ABOUT EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT.

SO TAKE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.

AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE USE ANTIBIOTICS FOR OURSELVES, OUR ANIMALS, AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.

BACTERIA.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE TOPIC.

ONE THAT WE NEED KEEP TALKING ABOUT.

AT ONE END OF THE SPECTRUM, WHEN OUR MICROBIOME IS IN BALANCE, OUR WHITE BLOOD CELLS WILL FIGHT THE BAD BACTERIA AND KEEP THEM FROM CAUSING DISEASES.

AT THE OTHER END, IF OUR MICROBIOME BECOMES UNSTABLE, WE BECOME SUSCEPTIBLE TO CHRONIC DISEASE.

BACTERIA.

YOU CAN LIVE WITH IT, BUT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT.

AND THAT'S QED.

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LET'S SAY YOU GET A SERIOUS INFECTION.

ONE OF THE RISKS OF INFECTION IS THAT THE BODY CAN START A CHAIN REACTION THAT RESULTS IN SEPSIS.

SEPSIS IS NOT AN INFECTION, BUT RATHER IT'S A CONSEQUENCE OF YOUR OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM RESPONDING A LITTLE TOO STRONG TO THE INFECTION'S AGENT, CREATING A LIFE THREATENING, ORGAN DYSFUNCTION RESPONSE TO THE INFECTION YOU HAVE.

ACCORDING TO THE CDC, 270,000 PEOPLE DIE EVERY YEAR FROM SEPSIS, BUT THERE'S NEW RESEARCH THAT GIVES UP HOPE.

DR. YIZHOU DONG, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PHARMACEUTICS AND PHARMACOLOGY AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSTIY, FOUND A WAY TO USE NANOTECHNOLOGY, A SCIENCE OF THE VERY, VERY SMALL, TO TREAT AND STAVE SEPSIS.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO LOOK INTO SEPSIS, AND MOVE THAT FIELD FORWARD?

BECAUSE, IT'S A REALLY -- SEVERE, REAL WORLD PROBLEM.

SEPSIS REMAINS THAT NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATHS IN HOSPITALS.

AND ASIDE OF INTENSIVE CARE AND THE ANTIBODY THERAPY, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY EFFECTIVE THERAPY FOR LATE STAGE SEPSIS.

SO, WE THINK WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING.

THERE ARE NEW THERAPEUTICS STRATEGY TO OVERCOME THIS DEADLY DISEASE.

IN THE SEVERE SEPSIS, PATIENTS SUFFER FROM PARALYZED MACROPHAGES, THEY CAN NOT OVERCOME THE INSISTENT BACTERIAL INFECTIONS.

>> MACROPHAGES COME FROM THE GREEK WORD MACROS, MEANING BIG, AND PHAGE, MEANING TO EAT.

MACROPHAGES ARE TYPES OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS THAT ARE FIRST RESPONDERS SENT BY OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM TO ENGULF AND EAT INVADING PATHOGENS.

BUT IN THE CASE OF SEPSIS, THESE MACROPHAGES ARE UNUSUAL, AND THEY DON'T FUNCTION THE WAY THEY SHOULD.

SO WE THINK MAYBE WE CAN CONSTRUCT ADOPTIVE CELL THERAPY.

SO AT FIRST, ISOLATE MONOCYTES AND THEN DIFFERENTIATE THEM INTO MACROPHAGES.

>> IN THIS STUDY, DR. DONG USED LABORATORY MICE.

HE AND HIS TEAM FIRST EXTRACTED THE BONE MARROW FROM HEALTHY MICE.

FROM THAT BONE MARROW, THEY COLLECTED A TYPE OF WHITE BLOOD CELL CALLED THE MONOCYTE.

NOW, MONOCYTES DIFFERENTIATE, OR TURN INTO MACROPHAGES, UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS.

>> AFTER THAT, WE APPLY OUR CUTTING EDGE NANOTECHNOLOGY TO CREATE THESE MACROPHAGES WITH STORED ANTIMICROBIAL COMPONENTS.

>> THEY USE VITAMIN C AND LIPIDS TO ENGINEER IMMUNE CELLS.

INSIDE EACH IMMUNE CELL, WAS A MESSENGER RNA THAT HAD SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE MORE ANTIMICROBIAL COMPONENTS.

THINK OF IT AS MAKING THOUSANDS OF TINY DELIVERY TRUCKS, WITH EACH ONE CARRYING IT'S OWN ANTIBIOTICS FACTORY.

>> WE CAN TRANSFER THESE MACROPHAGES BACK TO THE SEPTIC HOSTS.

IN THE MACROPHAGES, BECAUSE OF THE STRONG ANTIMICROBIAL COMPONENTS, WE CAN EVENTUALLY RESTORE THE INNATE IMMUNITY.

>> THAT'S REALLY FANTASTIC, 'CAUSE SO MANY THERAPIES OFTEN RELY ON THINGS OUTSIDE THE BODY TO COMBAT DISEASE.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY USING THEIR OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM TO HELP THEM GET HEALTHY.

THAT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE.

>> SO THEY -- ALSO IN OUR LEARNING FROM NATURE, VITAMINS ARE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS, ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CELLULAR PATHWAYS AND THE DIFFERENT BODY FUNCTIONS.

>> THERE'S SO MUCH TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS RESEARCH.

HOW LONG DO YOU ESTIMATE THAT IT WILL TAKE FOR THIS THERAPY FOR USE IN HOSPITALS?

>> I HOPE THAT IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WE CAN INITIATE CLINICAL TRIALS AND BEFORE PHASE ONE TO PHASE THREE CLINICAL TRIALS, THAT IT WOULD TAKE ANOTHER FEW YEARS.

I KNOW IT'S A LONG PROCESS, BUT THROUGH OUT DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT, REALLY, IT TAKES QUITE A FEW YEARS TO EVENTUALLY HAVE AN IDEA APPROVED, IT'S SAFE, AND EFFECTIVE FOR THE PATIENT'S IN THE CLINIC.

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>> DR. DONG USED NANOTECHNOLOGY TO HELP THE BODY MAY A SPECIFIC ANTIBIOTIC THAT KILLED OFF AN INFECTION'S AGENT.

AND IN SO DOING, ENABLED THE BODY'S OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM TO RECOVER FROM SEPSIS.

THINK ABOUT THAT.

BUILDING A VERY SPECIFIC CELLULAR THERAPY THAT ONE DAY COULD SAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HUMANS SUFFERING FROM SEPSIS.

NANOTECHNOLOGY MAKES YOUR COMPUTER FASTER AND YOUR MOBILE PHONE LIGHTER.

AND IT'S A GREAT TOOL IN THE FIELD OF MEDICINE.

AFTERALL, THE ILLNESSES THAT INFECT OUR BODIES TEND TO START WITH NANO SCALE SIZED PATHOGENS.

SO WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT NANOTECHNOLOGY?

WHY IS IT SO INTERESTING TO WORK WITH MATERIALS AND BUILD TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE ONE BILLIONTH OF A METER IN SIZE?

IN SHORT, THE PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS LOOK AND BEHAVE TOTALLY DIFFERENT AT THE NANO SCALE.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE, GOLD.

WE'VE ALL SEEN WHAT GOLD LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT?

BUT ON THE NANO SCALE, COLOR TURNS FROM GOLD TO RED.

THE INTENSITY OF THAT RED COLOR WILL CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE NANO PARTICLE CLUSTERS.

WE USE GOLD NANO PARTICLES IN DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES.

IN MEDICINE ALONE, THEY'RE USED IN EVERYTHING FROM AT HOME PREGNANCY TESTS TO HEART DISEASE BIOMARKERS, TO TOOLS FOR ERADICATING CANCER TUMORS.

THE POSSIBILITIES OF NANOTECHNOLOGY ARE REALLY INTERESTING.

TAKE MICRO PLASTICS.

THOSE ARE SMALL PARTICLES THAT HAVE BROKEN DOWN FROM THE PLASTICS WE DISCARD AND ARE RAPIDLY FILLING UP THE OCEAN.

KILLING NOT JUST FISH AND ANIMALS, BUT DAMAGING ENTIRE ECOSYSTEMS.

NANOTECHNOLOGY IS BEING LEVERAGED TO BREAK DOWN MICRO PLASTICS CONTRIBUTING TO A HOPEFUL FUTURE OF A PLASTIC FREE OCEAN.

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THERE'S EXCITING NEW RESEARCH OUT OF THE VANDERBILT VACCINE CENTER.

THEY ARE LOOKING TO ISOLATE, IDENTIFY, AND SEQUENCE ALL OF OUR ANTIBODIES.

IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVANCE IN SCIENCE AND MEDICINE, AND WE ARE ABOUT TO LEARN ALL ABOUT IT FROM DR. ROBERT CARNAHAN, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE VANDERBILT VACCINE CENTER.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMMUNOLOGY TODAY.

WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ANTIBODIES.

FIRST QUESTION, WHAT IS AN ANTIBODY IN LAYMAN'S TERMS?

>> AN ANTIBODY IS A SPECIAL KIND OF PROTEIN MADE BY A CERTAIN CELL IN YOUR BODY CALLED V-CELLS.

IT'S PART OF WHAT'S CALLED THE ADAPTIVE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

SO THIS IS OUR BODY'S ABILITY TO SHAPE WHAT IT IS DOING IN RESPONSE TO PARTICULAR ONSLAUGHTS.

PARTICULAR THINGS WHICH ARE COMING INTO THE SYSTEM.

SO, ANTIBODIES HAVE A VERY INTERESTING SORT OF GENETIC MAKEUP WHERE THE BODY'S ABLE TO SHUFFLE AROUND PIECES AND PARTS AND CREATE NEW VERSIONS OF ANTIBODIES ALL THE TIME, THAT ARE ADAPTED TO WHATEVER WE'RE BEING EXPOSED TO.

SO NEW FLUS COME ALONG?

WE CAN MAKE NEW ANTIBODIES TO THOSE.

AND THE ANTIBODIES THEN TARGET AND TAG THOSE PATHOGENS SO THAT THE BODY CAN RECOGNIZE THEM AS FOREIGN AND THEN HOPEFULLY ELIMINATE THEM.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, EVERY DAY, YOU'RE STARTING THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING TEN OR 20 NEW ANTIBODIES, MAYBE 100 TO A PARTICULAR THING.

AND THAT'S EVERY SINGLE DAY OF YOUR LIFE FOR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

>> YOU'VE TAKEN ON THIS HERCULEAN TASK TO MAP, I BELIEVE, THIS WHOLE ANTIBODY REPERTOIRE YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT.

WHY -- WHY ARE YOU TAKING THAT ON AND HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> WE DO THE FULL ANTIBODY PORTFOLIO THAT ANY -- THAT HUMANS HAVE AND HOW EACH PART OF THE PORTFOLIO IS SPECIFIC TO PARTICULAR TARGETS.

WE COULD ACTUALLY MINE THAT FOR ANTIBODIES THAT ARE THERAPEUTIC, RIGHT?

IF I KNEW WHAT IN THE PORTFOLIO WAS SPECIFIC TO RSB, AND WHAT IN THE PORTFOLIO WAS SPECIFIC TO MEASLES, I COULD LOOK AT THAT AT GREAT DEPTH, 'CAUSE I WOULD HAVE ALL YOUR MEASLES ANTIBODIES.

I'D HAVE ALL MY MEASLES ANTIBODIES.

I'D HAVE ALL MY SON'S MEASLES ANTIBODIES.

AND WE COULD LOOK AT THOSE AND SAY, "WHICH ONES ARE THE BEST?"

AND MAYBE THERE'S COMBINATIONS OF THOSE THAT ACTUALLY BECOME A NEW THERAPEUTIC ANTIBODY COCKTAIL, IT'S CALLED, WHERE WE MIX THEM TOGETHER SO THAT IT CAN ACTUALLY LEARN STUFF THAT WOULD HELP US TREAT DISEASE.

>> SO THAT'S -- THAT'S REALLY COOL.

SO I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE AUDIENCE HAS ALL HEARD ABOUT KIND OF AUTO ANTIBODIES OR AT LEAST AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, RIGHT?

A LOT OF THESE ARE MEDIATED BY THESE V-CELLS THAT YOU TALK ABOUT THAT PRODUCE ANTIBODIES THAT REACT TO OUR CELLS.

>> WHAT WE WANT TO DO NOW AND WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO DO IS LOOK AT THE REPERTOIRE OF DISEASE STATES.

SO, LUPUS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

WE SEQUENCE THE REPERTOIRE OF A BUNCH OF LUPUS PATIENTS, AND WHAT WE HOPE WOULD FIND IS SOME SIMILARITIES THERE.

SOME ANTIBODY FAMILIES EMERGE THAT HAVE SHARED CHARACTERISTICS.

AND WE CAN SAY, "OH WOW, THESE ANTIBODIES, ANY ANTIBODY THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS PROBABLY DRIVING THIS DISEASE PROCESS."

IF WE KNEW ALL THE DISEASE ANTIBODIES LOOKED A CERTAIN WAY, AND WE COULD BUILD A DECOY THAT THEY ALL BIND TO, THEN IT'S A WAY TO SORTA CONTINUE -- WE COULD CLEAR THOSE ANTIBODIES OUT OF THE SYSTEM, IF WE KNEW MORE ABOUT WHAT'S THE FULL BREADTH OF POSSIBLE BAD ANTIBODIES.

SO COULD ANTIBODIES BE DIAGNOSTIC IN NATURE, RIGHT?

SO THAT'S ANOTHER SORT OF FRONTIER THAT WE COULD GET TO WHERE WE START TO STUDY ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE IN A PARTICULAR GROUPING, BY DIABETES OR CERTAIN -- AND COULD WE DEFINE WHEN SOMEONE HAS THIS KIND OF ANTIBODY PROFILE, WE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE LOOKING AT THEM FOR DIABETES, BECAUSE THAT'S A -- IT MAY, MAYBE IT PREDICTS YOU HAVE DIABETES.

WHAT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER IF IT SAYS, "YOU'RE LIKELY TO GET IT."

LIKE, WE COULD BE PROGNOSTIC.

WE COULD SAY, "OH, BY THIS REPERTOIRE, MAYBE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FUTURE."

THAT WOULD BE SUPER COOL.

WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

>> WOW, THIS IS REALLY COOL STUFF.

SO, YOU'RE DOING THIS MAPPING, HOW FAR A LONG ARE YOU?

>> YEAH.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

WE ACTUALLY ASK THAT QUESTION, OURSELVES.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN END, AT LEAST IN MY LIFETIME, AS TO WHERE WE'LL GET THERE.

ONCE AGAIN, LIKE WE SAID, THIS IS A SUPER FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTIVE SYSTEM.

AND EVERYONE, WE'VE BEEN STUDYING ANTIBODIES FOR A LONG TIME AND IMMUNOLOGY.

WE HAVE, LIKE, SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF UNDERSTANDING THE ANTIBODY CODING IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING.

SO EVEN IF I TOOK YOURS ACROSS ONE YEAR AND SAMPLED YOUR ANTIBODY REPERTOIRE AT, LET'S CALL THAT DEPTH, TRIED TO LOOK AS MUCH AS I COULD.

WE'RE DOING THIS FOR PEOPLE.

IT'S CALLED A TIME SERIES, WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM AT DIFFERENT POINTS.

AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT THEIR REPERTOIRE IS CHANGING DRAMATICALLY ACROSS THE YEAR.

THEY GET A FLU VACCINE.

THEY GET RHINOVIRUS, WHICH IS THE COLD.

THEY GET EXPOSED TO ALL KINDS OF THINGS, AND THEIR REPERTOIRE'S CONSTANTLY CHANGING.

SO IT'S THIS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT'S NOT STABLE.

THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, IS THAT ANTIBODIES COST QUITE A BIT OF SO MY DREAM WOULD BE, FIVE OR SIX YEARS FROM NOW, WE CAN DESIGN THESE CUSTOMIZED THERAPIES, RIGHT?

THEY COULD BE SHAPED AND MANIPULATED, BUT THE PRICE COMES DOWN SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY ENTER INTO THAT WORLD WHERE ANTIBODIES BECOME A SORT OF A VALID THERAPEUTIC FOR EVEN SHORT TERM INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

>> SO YOU SEE, THERE ARE LOADS AND LOADS OF BAD BUGS OUT THERE.

AND IT'S OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM THAT PROTECTS US, AND KEEPS US HEALTHY FROM EVERYTHING THAT IS TRYING TO HARM US.

FROM NANOTECHNOLOGY TO MAPPING THE UNIVERSE OF ANTIBODIES INSIDE US, SCIENTISTS ARE WORKING ON WAYS TO EXPLORE AND EXPLOIT WHAT'S INSIDE US TO KEEP US HEALTHY.

SO THAT'S ALL QUITE EASILY DEMONSTRATED.

OR "QED WITH DR.

B."

FIND US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

AND I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

!

!musiC@!!!musiC@!

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