In 2006, the term ‘Patho-biotechnology’ was coined to describe the exploitation of pathogens, or pathogen derived factors, for beneficial applications in biotechnology, food and medicine. This concept encompasses three broad areas: i. The first approach (outlined in Chapters 1-10) involves the use of selected pathogens as effective prophylactic and/or therapeutic agents by replacement technology. The rationale for this “fighting fire with fire” approach being that for most species the strongest niche competitors are often the same or closely related species. ii. The second approach (outlined in Chapters 11-14) involves the isolation and purification of pathogen-specific immunogenic proteins for direct application, thus removing the necessity for potentially harmful bacterial carrier platforms. iii. The third approach (outlined in Chapter 15) provides an alternative to either (i) or (ii) above. This approach involves equipping non-pathogenic bacteria with the genetic elements necessary to survive the many stresses encountered outside the host as well as the myriad of antimicrobial hurdles faced during host transit and/or colonisation.
Biography
Roy Sleator PhD graduated from University College Cork, Ire land in 1997 with a first-class honours degree in Microbiology, before going on to complete a PhD in 2001 at the National Food Biotechnology Centre, Bio Research Ireland. Following his PhD studies, Dr Sleator was granted a prestigious EMBARK Post-doctoral Fellowship from the Irish Research Council for Science Engineer ing and Technology, to investigate the mechanisms o f bacterial stress response. This work was recognized in 2004 with the inaugural joint European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases/Federation of European Microbiology Societies Research Fellowship. Colin Hill has a PhD in molecular microbiology and works in the Microbiology Department of University College Cork, Ireland. He is also a Principal Investigator in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, a multi-disciplinary research centre focusing on the role o f gut microbiota in health and disease. His main interests are in infectious disease, particularly in defining the mechanisms of virulence of foodborne pathogens and in developing strategies to prevent and limit the consequences of microbial infections in the gastrointestinal tract.
