Enemies Within: Inflammation, Infection, and Immunity

Believe it or not, the brain is the fattiest organ in your body, as it is made of 60% fat. This does not change no matter how under or overweight you are. However, excess fat around a person’s abdominal area induces chronic inflammation across the whole body, which affects even the brain. Obesity is a risk factor for several brain diseases, including stroke, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. And our studies have found that having obesity actually makes these diseases more severe. Therefore, reducing that level of inflammation is crucial to brain health.

We’ve all heard about the ‘friendly’ bacteria in our guts. Thing is: many of our gut bacteria are actually rather unfriendly – to each other. In the fight for space and nutrients, poisoning rivals can offer a competitive edge. Some bacteria even have fearsome stingers that pierce and poison neighbours. I will reveal some of the toxic nasties that gut bacteria hurl at one another, and how bugs have evolved ingenious defences in response. Studying these interactions helps us to understand what’s going on in our guts, and how we might design medicines and probiotics to improve gut health.

Why do some wounds refuse to heal? One major reason is biofilms—communities of bacteria stick to wound surfaces and are tough to eradicate by conventional antibiotics and the immune system. We’ll explore how various dressings and debridement tools are being tested in the lab to assess their effectiveness in breaking down and removing biofilms, which are a significant barrier to wound healing. We’ll look at how science is driving smarter wound care—and why tackling biofilms is crucial for both patients and the NHS.