The BioVentures Podcast

Episode 14 - AR Ventures Accelerator Program (Part 4): Harnessing Yeast to Neutralize Bacterial Toxins


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In this episode, we talk with Dr. Zach Waldrop about his Arkansas Health Ventures Accelerator (ARHVA) project developing genetically engineered probiotics to treat gastrointestinal diseases. His team modifies a safe yeast strain, Saccharomyces boulardii, to display antibodies that neutralize bacterial toxins, offering a potential alternative to antibiotics. Early lab tests show the engineered yeast can survive in colon-like conditions and bind harmful toxins. Waldrop envisions this as a platform technology adaptable to multiple gut infections, including E. coli, C. difficile, and cholera, with hopes of creating easy access and affordable treatment.

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The BioVentures PodcastBy BioVentures