Episode 12: Dr. Irene Chen on Bacteriophages

Pop quiz! What biological agent is most abundant on all of planet Earth? Hint: it’s a type of virus with hyper-specificity, allowing infection of different bacterial species. If you guessed bacteriophages, you’re correct! These phages are viruses that target bacterial cells and subsequently kill their host as they use parts of the bacterial cells to replicate. On this week's episode of the ChemTalk podcast, hosts Claris Chan and Roxanne Salkeld interview Dr. Irene Chen, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at UCLA. We discuss what these viruses are, how they work, and the challenges and benefits of using them in the realm of human health and infectious diseases. We hope you enjoy! If you would like to know more about Dr. Irene Chen you can check out her research or reach her by email at ireneachen@ucla.edu.
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