Can Antibiotics Ever Beat Evolution?

Logosofia no Dia a Dia · Jun 8, 2026 · 30m

Antibiotics made modern medicine possible, but every prescription runs a global selection experiment for resistant bacteria. This episode explores the evolutionary arms race between humans and microbes — from horizontal gene transfer and the hidden resistome in soil bacteria to the market failures that have dried up the antibiotic pipeline. We examine NDM-1, the enzyme that collapsed an entire drug class, and mcr-1, the colistin resistance gene that jumped from pig farms to human pathogens. Plus: the PASTEUR Act's subscription model for drug development and LpxC inhibitors that could turn…