Ian Chopra, Professor of Medical Microbiology at Leeds University, describes the rise of the superbugs and shows how genomics is offering exciting opportunities for the discovery of new antibiotics . The incidence of foodborne disease seems to be rising inexorably. Tom Humphries and his colleagues at the PHLS laboratories in Exeter look at some of the factors responsible for this unacceptable situation and describe the focus of current research. Clinicians have long used smell as a means of diagnosing disease. Tim Gibson of Bloodhound Sensors describes how this arcane art is being turned into a science by the development of electronic noses .
Microbes have an amazing capacity to degrade and transform a wide range of pollutants in nature.
Now engineers and microbiologists are collaborating to harness these powers to treat waste products of industrial processes. Ajay Sharman and Cliff Burton of Viridian EHC Ltd have developed a novel bioremediation system to treat waste solvent in the footwear industry. In Europe a consortium of research groups is investigating mobile genetic elements in bacteria , with a view to exploiting their potential in industry, agriculture, medicine and environmental management. He takes some examples from the older literature of past work on current hot topics, and speculates that many good ideas lay forgotten in dusty tomes on the library shelves. In satirical mood, Howard Gest, Emeritus Professor at Indiana University, reports on the discovery of the bacterial taxonomy gene, thus supporting his contention that scientists may well be barking up the wrong phylogenetic tree.