A l'UM la science [S02-ep23]: From antibiotic resistance to satellite assembly

This week on A l'UM la science Stéphanie Bedhomme, a researcher at the Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, talks about the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes. In the second part, Romain Briand assembles a satellite at the University Space Center. Finally, Agnès Pesenti, head of scientific culture, announces the next Science Bar.

It was over ten years ago, and yet I remember it like it was yesterday. That day, my doctor told me that the antibiotic I'd been using to treat chronic pyelonephritis was no longer working. Allergic to penicillin, my therapeutic arsenal was thus significantly reduced, causing, I could see on my doctor's face, concern that had to be taken seriously. My case finally settled when I discovered that I had in fact never been allergic to penicillin, but the question remained: what would happen if the antibiotics no longer worked? Could I have died of pneumonia, cystitis or even a simple dental infection?

Today, antibiotic resistance is estimated to cause around 12,500 deaths in France and 33,000 in Europe. According to the French National Authority for Health, it could become the world's leading cause of death by 2050, with more than 10 million deaths a year if nothing is done between now and then. Incidentally, despite a slight decline over the last ten years, France remains one of the world's biggest consumers of antibiotics. Could this excessive consumption play a role in the development of resistance? Are we more affected than our European or African neighbors? American neighbors? Are there other factors capable of explaining the amplification of this resistance? That's our topic for today.

A study published in elifeprovides new insights into the worldwide distribution of genes responsible for resistance to a class of antibiotics, and offers some clues as to how to control this phenomenon, which could be the most worrying health crisis of the next few decades. Stéphanie Bedhomme, researcher at CEFE (Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive), is one of the two authors of this paper entitled " Ecology, more than antibiotic consumption, is the main predictor of the global distribution of aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes ".

In the second half of the show, we take you into the clean room of Montpellier's university space center. Romain Briand, engineer and head of AIT (assembly, integration and testing) tells us a little more about satellite assembly. Finally, Agnès Pesenti, in charge of scientific culture, talks about the latest Bar des sciences, to be held on May 25 at 8:30 pm at the Dôme.  

At UM la science you've got the program, here we go!

Coproduction: Divergence FM / Université de Montpellier
Animation:
Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interviews:
Lucie Lecherbonnier / Aline Périault
Reporting and editing: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Production: Naomi Charmetan

Listen to the program "A l'UM la science" on Divergence FM 93.9


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