Eric Delgado, Efflux Pump Foiler
We’ve all heard how germs are become more and more resistant
to antibiotics. Well, when high school Eric Delgado had the chance to work with
Jersey City Medical Center researchers who were investigating one such
drug-resistant bug (MRSA), he came away determined to find a solution.
After learning that some bacteria use a mechanism called an
efflux pump (built into their membranes) to expel antibiotics, Eric wanted to
find a way to turn off the pumps.
Luckily, he had a teacher willing to help him make contacts
across the country who then supplied him with everything from advice to plant
compounds. Over 2 years of experimentation, Eric was able to determine how much
antibiotic each pump expelled, and thus how much medicine need be administered
to overcome that.
He has now brought his talents to Yale University, and
eventually wants to work in public health, where I’m sure he’ll have a positive
impact. :)
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