School of Biomedical Sciences cordially invites you to join the following seminar:

Date: 22 May 2024 (Wednesday)
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre 1, G/F, William M.W. Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road

Speaker: Professor Hua Wang, Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, the United States
Talk Title: Antibiotic Resistance, Gut Microbiome and Host Health: Closing the Critical Gaps by Innovation

Biography

Professor Hua Wang has been a faculty at the Ohio State University since 2001. With expertise across lactic acid bacteria genetics, biofilm, antibiotic resistance (AR) and gut microbiome, she has revealed the critical roles of commensal and beneficial bacteria in AR ecology, and the mainstream oral antibiotic administration and gut-impacting drugs, instead of the uses of antibiotics, as the key drivers of the unintended public health consequences. Her groundbreaking discoveries have since enabled innovative mitigation of AR and an increasing list of modern diseases, with demonstrated success in both the food chain and medicine. As a former Chair of Food Microbiology Division, American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Chair of Biotechnology Division, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), and former President of Overseas Chinese Society for Microbiology (Sino-Micro), Dr. Wang has facilitated the paradigm changes in related global policies and practices, with massive public health, social and economic impact.

Abstract
Antibiotic resistance (AR) and host gut microbiota disruption are considered the inevitable outcomes of antibiotic applications. Disrupted gut microbiota are further associated with, and even causative to an increasing list of modern diseases, ranging from type-II diabetes, neurological disorders, to malfunction of the host immune system and lack of responses to anticancer immunotherapies. Despite limiting the uses of antibiotics is still the primary control strategy worldwide, knowledge breakthroughs in the past decade have presented an advanced scientific picture and enabled innovative mitigation. Alternatives to orally administered and biliary excreted antibiotics effectively protected host gut microbiota and limited the surge of gut/fecal antibiotic resistome. Popular fermented foods have been identified as a key foodborne avenue transmitting AR bacteria to consumers. Traditionally fermented plant-based products rich in AR bacteria further may connect AR resistome of food animals, environment and human consumers, and their impact on human health especially susceptible patients will be discussed. Standard treatments for epidermic outbreaks, such as mycoplasma influenza, may have broad and lasting impact on related human population. While innovative and targeted mitigations have delivered impactful outcomes in pilot studies and are productively solving the century-long dilemma, the mainstream practice of orally administered antibiotics still affect up to 2/3 of the human population annually, based on US data. Prompt knowledge dissemination, continued innovation and facilitating changes in medical and industrial practices are essential to minimize unnecessary public health losses worldwide.

ALL ARE WELCOME

Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Miss Crystal Chan at 3917 6830.