‘Local’ bacteria new drugs hope

Scientists seeking new weapons to fight cancer and superbugs are to delve into a north-east “treasure trove” of bacteria.

The national collection of industrial, food and marine bacteria is a unique stock of more than 10,000 cultures from across the globe.

Experts have long considered it a potential source of new treatments as the world battles increasing resistance to existing antibiotics.

Now a team from the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen has been given the chance to spend three years “mining” for promising seams of material.

They hope to find compounds that could be used in products such as antimicrobials and anti-tumour or anti-inflammatory medication.

Once part of Aberdeen University, the collection has been run by independent firm NCIMB since 2000 and services the pharmaceutical, personal care, food, oil and gas, agricultural and environmental sectors.

From left, RGU Professor Linda Lawton, Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate Josh Burns, NCIMB curator Dr Samantha Law and Dr Christine Edwards