Journal-News: UC researchers engineer bacteria to weaken cancer cell walls

University of Cincinnati researchers in the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy have developed a new probiotic bacteria designed to break down cancer cell walls and give therapies an easier way in to kill tumors.

Nalinikanth Kotagiri, PhD, the senior author of this study, an assistant professor in UC’s James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy and a UC Cancer Center member, said the bacteria naturally targets tumor cells, as bacteria prefer low-oxygen and immunodeficient environments. 

“There’s bacteria in the gut, on the skin, inside your lungs, inside your mouth, even inside tumors,” Kotagiri said. “So why not take advantage of that and find interesting ways to make them a bit more proactive?”

Read the Journal-News article.

Read more about the research.

Featured photo at top of Dr. Kotagiri working in his lab. Photo/Colleen Kelley/University of Cincinnati.