Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2025

Growing a Cystic Fibrosis-Relevant Polymicrobial Biofilm to Probe Community Phenotypes
Published on: April 19, 2024
Polymicrobial infection in cystic fibrosis and future perspectives for improving Mycobacterium abscessus drug
Emily J Baker1, Gemma Allcott1, Jonathan A G Cox2
1College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK.
Abstract:
Polymicrobial communities inhabit the cystic fibrosis (CF) airway, whereby microbial interactions can occur. One prominent CF pathogen is Mycobacterium abscessus, whose treatment is largely unsuccessful. This creates a need to discover novel antimicrobial agents to treat M. abscessus, however the methods used within antibiotic discovery are typically monomicrobial. This review will discuss this pathogen whilst considering the CF polymicrobial environment, to highlight future perspectives to improve M. abscessus drug discovery.
Related Concept Videos
Cystic Fibrosis: Management
Sinus disease and chronic...
Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis
CF is primarily caused by a genetic mutation in a chromosome 7 gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The most common gene mutation leading to CF is the ΔF508 mutation,...

