Roadmap for Phage technologies

What are we trying to achieve and why? What is the problem we are trying to solve?

Determining end point of application for each phage.

What are the scientific and technological challenges (knowledge gaps needing to be addressed)?

Developing new methods for detection and quantification of phages.
Identify suitable, stable and robust phages: it is very difficult to isolate either any, or strictly virulent phages for some bacterial species – so effort should be put into this area.
Not just lytic phages but phages with desirable properties e.g., for delivery or which target key surface structures on bacteria.
Selection of specific phages that do not attack useful bacteria.
Effect of phages within microbiota that affect production –the use of phages to target gut microorganisms to favour increased production.
Understanding of phages and genetics of animals (host/genetic).
Better understanding of phage life cycle – to identify genes linked with different lifecycles as it is not a clear-cut situation between lytic and lysogenic phages.

What approaches could/should be taken to address the research question?

Could include initial DNA/RNA detection systems.
Large scale screening – utilising machine learning to identify which phages may be the most effective at targeting key pathogens –
(this would include looking to see if all those that are effective have particular genes associated with them but could also include integration of data on the genome of the bacteria).
Viral tagging.
Metagenomics to understand where phages may be in the specific environment.
Organ cultures could also be used for screening in vivo using phages and the microbiota.

What else needs to be done before we can solve this need?

Suitable range of bacteria against which phages can be sought for targeting.

Existing knowledge including successes and failures

Gram negative bacteria more difficult to kill than Gram positive ones (with bacteriocins – 1:00).