What drugs do to our bugs

Therapeutic drugs are designed to target specific cells in our bodies in order to prevent or alleviate the symptoms of certain diseases or conditions. However, as well as targeting our own cells, therapeutics can also affect our intestinal microbiome - the diverse range of bacteria found in our gut. Our microbiome is fundamental to our development and health, and its dysfunction or disruption contributes to various diseases such as diabetes, cancer and Parkinson’s.

In September’s MRC Seminar Series, Dr Patil from the MRC Toxicology Unit explains how drug therapies can affect our microbiome, what impacts these drug-microbiome interactions can have on our microbiome and how this can influence drug development and drug personalisation.

drugs