Matters Microbial #100: What’s the Buzz on Phage Therapy for Honeybees? July 14, 2025

Today, Dr. Heather Hendrickson from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss the research she and her team are conducting on bacteriophage therapy to protect vulnerable honeybees from bacterial infections.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Heather Hendrickson

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify

Become a patron of Matters Microbial!

Links for this episode

• Here is the website for a former undergraduate research student of mine, Dr. Paula Welander, now a professor and administrator at Stanford University.  Yes, I am proud.
• Here is a link to another former undergraduate research student of mine, Dr. Krista Venecia Edmiston, now a professor at California Health Sciences University.  Yes, I am proud.
• A review on cell shape in bacteria.
• A review on the cytoskeleton of bacteria and archaea.
• I am a great admirer of Dr. John Roth, and his clearheaded and direct approach to microbial genetics.  Here is his academic website with many publications.
• An article about the causative agent of American Foulbrood, Paenibacillus larvae.
• An overview of American Foulbrood’s impact on honeybees.
• The honeybee lifecycle.
• Beemites and honeybees.
• A video overview of bacteriophage therapy against bacterial diseases.
• An explainer of bacteriophage plaques.
• A video overview of lytic versus lysogenic bacteriophages.
• Dr. Graham Hatfull and his simply amazing SEAPHAGEs program, teaching so many people about isolating and studying bacteriophages.
• An article from Dr. Hendrickson’s laboratory exploring cell shape in bacteria.
• An article from Dr. Hendrickson’s laboratory explaining the importance of protecting honeybees from American Foulbrood, and the approach her laboratory uses.
• An article from Dr. Hendrickson’s laboratory describing a community based approach to search for bacteriophages of Paenibacillus larvae.
• An article from Dr. Hendrickson’s laboratory analyzing the types of Paenibacillus attacking bacteriophages isolated in New Zealand.
• An article from Dr. Hendrickson’s laboratory describing an improved method for isolating bacteriophages.
• A truly great video from Dr. Hendrickson some years ago, explaining her research.  This is a “must see.”
• Dr. Hendrickson’s faculty webpage.
• Dr. Hendrickson’s informative research group website.
• This section of Dr. Hendrickson’s research group website is devoted to outreach, and so very worth your time.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]