Dr. David Bikard is pioneering the use of CRISPR-Cas genetic systems re-programmed to target specific pathogenic or antibiotic resistant bacteria. This feat of ultra-precise genetic engineering represents a big shift from current approaches using broadly acting antibiotics that favour the spread of resistance and disturb the microbiome. 

David Bikard is the head of the Synthetic Biology Lab at the Institut Pasteur and also founded Eligo Biosciences, a biotech that is pushing for the translation of CRISPR based therapeutics to modify the microbiome. 

In this conversation, we discuss the phagemid technology using bacteriophage components to deliver CRISPR-Cas systems in bacteria, the hurdles to translate findings in vivo as well as the power of technology-driven science. 

"Progress in science depends on new techniques, new discoveries and new ideas, probably in that order"  Sydney Brenner

Links to David Bikard's lab:  https://research.pasteur.fr/en/team/synthetic-biology/

Eligo Biosciences: https://eligo.bio

And to the paper on sequence specific killing of Staphylococcus aureus : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25282355/