As the world grapples with the escalating crisis of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a researcher at Florida State University (FSU), United States of America, Zainab Dere, is charting a promising course on the use of viruses to turn the tide.

Dere, from FSU’s Department of Mathematics, has developed a strategy which uses viruses to control drug-resistant bacteria.

According to a recent paper published in the Mathematical Biosciences Journal, her research centres on the concept of using bacteriophages, viruses that specifically target and infect bacteria, against infections.

Though the idea of using viruses to fight bacteria is not entirely new, Dere’s unique contribution lies in her rigorous mathematical modelling that helps fine-tune how the viruses are used.

There have been growing concerns with regards to the pressing health challenges associated with antibiotic resistance. Bacteria are increasingly developing the ability to resist traditional antibiotic treatments, leading to more severe illnesses resulting in longer hospital stays, increased medical costs, and higher mortality rates.

But with the potential of Dere’s research being able to help reshape how bacterial infections that no longer respond to conventional antibiotics are treated, her work offers a beacon of hope in the critical global health challenge.

“Our goal was to go beyond just introducing viruses; we wanted to understand how to optimise their use to achieve the best possible outcome,” explained Dere, whose interdisciplinary background spans applied mathematics, mathematical biology, bioinformatics, data science and public health.

Zainab Dere’s model allows researchers to predict and strategically control how the viruses can be deployed.

The key finding from her work is that the strategic introduction of viruses can significantly mitigate antibiotic-resistant bacterial populations.

Even more importantly, with careful “optimal control” of the viruses, it is possible to achieve a stable balance where beneficial, non-resistant bacteria thrive while the problematic resistant strains are kept in check, Dere added.

The model also found that even a constant, clinically feasible infusion of virus-infected bacteria rather than a precisely timed one could produce near-optimal outcomes. She noted that this insight could be especially important for real-world treatment design.

The innovative use of quantitative methods to solve a complex biological problem highlights a strategic approach to a public health concern.

With antibiotic resistance continuing to rise globally and with fewer new antibiotics in development, Dere said the research work advances existing knowledge in tackling the health challenge and offers a promising solution.

“It is a complex problem, but with the right mathematical tools, we can understand and optimise interventions, which could shape the next generation of antibiotic stewardship that brings us closer to winning the fight against these superbugs,” she concluded.