Bacteria – the planet’s secret rulers: Modern diagnostics in the fight against a silent pandemic

Bacteria are found everywhere: on and inside our bodies, in other animal species, in the environment and on food. Where bacteria not only benefit us but can also cause harm as pathogens, medical research seeks to help through precise diagnostics and targeted therapies.

However, these microorganisms defend themselves skilfully: even across species boundaries, bacteria exchange virulence and resistance genes and are constantly evolving. To ensure we do not lose this evolutionary race against bacteria, researchers at InfectoGnostics are working on modern diagnostic methods.

At the Long Night of Science, InfectoGnostics scientists from the Leibniz IPHT and Friedrich Schiller University Jena will present such methods for rapid testing for bacterial pathogens and for determining their antibiotic resistance and virulence. Visitors of all ages will be able to carry out microarray experiments themselves and learn about modern infectious disease diagnostics.