Irish-born duo fights antibiotic failure

Carolina celebrates its modern and historical ties with Ireland in August in conjunction with the Tar Heels’ appearance in the Aug. 29 Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin.

Those connections include the biomedical and pharmacological research of professor Brian Conlon and his wife, associate professor Sarah Rowe-Conlon, both in the UNC School of Medicine’s microbiology and immunology department.

The Irish-born microbiologists — he’s from Galway and she’s from Dublin — embody this connection through their innovative approaches to combat antibiotic tolerance. They established a lab at UNC-Chapel Hill 10 years ago, drawn by its strong scientific ecosystem.

“Ireland has long been a real strength in the staphylococcus aureus research,” Conlon said. “We came here to continue that work because this is not a problem unique to Ireland. This is a global problem that is in desperate need of a solution.”

Their research focuses on combatting difficult-to-treat infections caused by different types of bacteria. Antibiotics, which are designed to kill the bacteria or keep them from reproducing, don’t always work.

Some bacteria can evolve and evade lethal doses of antibiotics. But there is rising evidence that other factors, like our own immune systems, might also be contributing to antibiotic failure. The complex problem typically manifests in patient populations who frequently experience chronic wounds and reoccurring infections, such as those with diabetes.

According to the World Health Organization, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections cause about 1.5 million deaths worldwide each year. To improve antibiotic use and help prevent further harm, Conlon and Rowe-Conlon have launched several research projects:

• When the immune system gets in the way. Last year, in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Conlon lab discovered an immune system protein that interferes with common antibiotics like penicillin and amoxicillin. The lab is now developing therapeutic strategies to prevent this host-driven antibiotic tolerance and improve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics.
• A new strategy to prevent antibiotic failure. In a study published in Nature Microbiology, the Conlon lab identified a small molecule that restores the ability of antibiotics to kill dormant bacteria in models of staph, tuberculosis and salmonella infections. The lab is now working to develop this approach into a new therapeutic strategy that could improve treatment of persistent bacterial infections.
• New and innovative ways to kill MRSA. In 2023, Rowe-Conlon joined forces with researchers at the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering to help remove the physical defensive barriers surrounding MRSA cells, which cause staph infections particularly resistant to antibiotics. The new method uses noninvasive ultrasound to create spaces that drugs can squeeze through to kill the bacteria.
• Understanding an emerging superbug. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Rowe-Conlon’s team discovered that antibiotics successfully reach therapeutic concentrations within liver abscesses, yet still fail to eliminate the bacteria that causes a resistant type of pneumonia. The finding revealed that antibiotic tolerance — not poor drug penetration — is a major driver of treatment failure, reshaping how researchers think about these life-threatening infections.

Conlon and Rowe-Conlon visited at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland last year, sharing their latest findings, toured facilities and connected with other researchers in the field.

When the opportunity arises, the couple also takes advantage of North Carolina’s direct flights to Ireland to visit friends and loved ones back home. There, they enjoy the things they miss most about Ireland — including its high-quality seafood — with their son, Patrick, 9, and daughter, Ciara, 7.