In this episode we interviewed Peter Braun, Head of Molecular Biotechnology at Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology in München, Germany.

We talked about his experience using phages as biotechnological tools: engineering phage RBPs and whole phage particles for detection of highly pathogenic bacteria of interest in the army, such as Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

You can hear about the detection tools and their challenges to identify Bacillus anthracis, and how they compare to phages. You will learn how they developed diagnostic phage proteins, a clever assay for antibiotic sensitivity testing and how they developed diagnostic phages.

We also touch briefly on phage engineering and one of the challenges they faced, and how they solved it.

On the personal side you will hear about Peter’s exotic career and wise advice and inspiration.

Enjoy!

Episode chapters:

What is your research focus?

What kind of infectious diseases are you interested in?

Can you tell us a bit more about your background?

Why do we need a new method for detection? (For bacillus anthracis)

Which proteins did you choose and how did you compose this toolbox?

Are phage RBPs really so specific?

Why using GFP and not NanoLuc for example?

What was your aim with these phages to detect Klebsiella?

What about the clinical samples? Which ones did you test?

Is there any limit of detection?

Do you imagine this application in the clinic?

We saw you needed to delete some phage genes, why?

You got introduced to phages during your PhD, how was this?

Was there any failure in your career that set you up for future success?

Do you have any advice for PhD students or early career researchers starting in the field?

What do you like the most about the position you are in right now?

What are you most excited about in the phage field?