Imagine a world where algae not only provide oxygen, but also become critical tools in saving lives. This is the future that the project researchers OneHealth are shaping, where simple organisms like algae are transformed into sophisticated “shuttles” to deliver drugs directly to where they are needed most in the body. This innovative technology could be a decisive weapon against emerging viruses and drug-resistant bacteria, increasingly widespread global threats.
New challenges for global health
Infectious diseases are an ever-evolving challenge. As underlined by the President of the Inf-Act Foundation, Federico Fornerisdiseases that once only affected certain areas of the world, such as dengue or the West Nilecan now spread to previously unaffected areas, thanks to climate change and globalization. This scenario requires new weapons to prevent and counter such threats, and this is where solutions such as modified algae and nanoparticle-based systems come into play.
The conference organized in Pavia by the Inf-Act Foundation took stock of the progress achieved in the last two years by researchers involved in the national network on circular health. Among the most surprising results, there is the use of the algae to transport drugs directly into the human body. But how does this technology work? And why could it revolutionize modern medicine?
Algae as a drug delivery vehicle
The algae used as “shuttles” are not just any organisms. Thanks to advanced biotechnology, they are modified to create vesicles which, once inside the human body, carry drugs directly into infected or diseased tissues. This targeted transport ability is particularly useful for fighting infections that could turn into epidemicsas it allows drugs to be administered with greater precision and reducing side effects.
A concrete example is the use of these algae in the fight against monkeypox. This disease, which has emerged as one of the new global health threats, could be countered thanks to new molecules carried by algae, allowing for more effective and timely treatment.
But algae are not the only innovative tool developed by OneHealth. Among the new technologies being tested there are also smart insecticides and polymer- or nanoparticle-based materials, capable of counteracting viruses and bacteria on exposed surfaces. These solutions are particularly useful in environments where the risk of contamination is high, such as hospitals or public areas with a high density of people.
Bacteriophages: A New Hope Against Resistant Bacteria
Another extremely promising field of research is that of bacteriophagesviruses that infect exclusively bacteria. These viruses can be “unleashed” against drug-resistant bacteriaoffering a natural and targeted solution to one of the greatest challenges of modern medicine: antibiotic resistance.
Overuse of antibiotics in recent decades has led to the emergence of bacteria that can resist traditional drugs, making infections more difficult to treat. Bacteriophages represent a potential breakthrough because they can specifically attack resistant bacteria without harming human cells.
The importance of multidisciplinarity
One of the key factors in the success of these new technologies is the multidisciplinarity. As Forneris underlined, it is essential to integrate the expertise of different sectors to develop effective solutions against global health threats. Infectiologists, microbiologists, veterinarians, hygienists and genomics experts work side by side to identify the outbreaks of emerging diseases and develop rapid and targeted intervention strategies.
Thanks to this collaboration, it was possible to monitor the spread of viruses such as dengue and monkeypox, identifying early warning signs and implementing preventive measures. In particular, a national database which monitors the presence of mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit, providing a detailed map of health risk throughout the Italian territory.
The Future of Public Health
Looking to the future, epidemic prevention and infection control will increasingly require innovative solutions. The use of algae to transport drugs and research on bacteriophages are just some of the instruments that could make the difference. However, the key to success will be the ability to predict and estimate the spread of diseases, intervening quickly and precisely.
It is clear that medicine is entering a new era, where science and nature combine to create cutting-edge solutions. And you, what do you think of these new frontiers of health? Leave a comment and tell us how you think these technologies can change our future.
#Algae #transformed #weapons #viruses #science #medicine