Monash University
Research Field: Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to human health. Dr Jeremy Barr studies the therapeutic use of bacteriophages — viruses that infect and kill bacteria — as a way to combat antibiotic-resistant infections and the disease they cause.
Dr Barr’s research has been instrumental in demonstrating that phages can be used as an alternative treatment to combat antibiotic-resistant infections in patients. Importantly, his work has shown that by understanding phage biology we can utilise these bacterial viruses to re-sensitise bacterial ‘superbugs’ to the antibiotics they use to resist.
Jeremy co-authored a graphic novel based on his research titled “The Invisible War” and published by the science-art publisher ‘Scale Free Network’. He worked for three years as a scientific advisor providing ideas, helping to storyboard, reviewing drafts and promoting the novel. Our novel won multiple awards, including Educational Publishing Australia’s ‘Most Outstanding Resource of the Year 2017’ and is available in over 1000 Australian high schools through the Scholastic Program.
Dr Barr was awarded his PhD in 2011 from the University of Queensland. He is currently a lecturer at Monash University.