Ants and antibiotic resistance

New hope in the fight against antibiotic resistance could come from an unexpected source: the animal world. A study of nurse ants in sub-Saharan Africa has revealed that they secrete antibiotics to combat the dreaded Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. This discovery has piqued the interest of bioengineering researchers at EPFL, who are looking for innovative solutions to counter antibiotic resistance.