Korede Abdullah in Lagos
A Nigerian researcher at Florida State University’s Department of Mathematics, Zainab Dere has recorded a phenomenal feat by offering a promising alternative: using viruses to combat drug-resistant bacteria, as antibiotic resistance threatens global health.
Her study, recently published in the Mathematical Biosciences Journal, focuses on bacteriophages—viruses that target and infect bacteria.
“Our goal was to go beyond just introducing viruses; we wanted to understand how to optimise their use to achieve the best possible outcome,” Dere explained.
Through advanced mathematical modelling, her work fine-tunes how these viruses can be used to strategically combat infections no longer responsive to antibiotics.
The model Dere developed predicts how to control and deploy viruses effectively. A significant insight from her research is that virus-infused bacteria, even when introduced at a constant, clinically realistic rate, can suppress resistant bacterial populations while allowing non-resistant strains to thrive.
“With careful ‘optimal control’ of the viruses, it is possible to achieve a stable balance,” Dere noted, highlighting that such control could revolutionize real-world treatment strategies for bacterial infections.
As the pipeline for new antibiotics dries up, Dere’s interdisciplinary approach—merging applied mathematics, biology, and public health—presents a valuable breakthrough.
“It is a complex problem, but with the right mathematical tools, we can understand and optimise interventions,” she said. Her findings represent a forward-thinking contribution to the global campaign against superbugs, offering new hope where traditional antibiotics fall short.
