FDSN Seminar Series: Bacteriophage-Based Biocontrol of Salmonella: A One-Health Approach

The Department of Food Science and Nutrition will host Thomas Brenner, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Wang Lab of Molecular Food Safety at the University of British Columbia, for a seminar titled “Bacteriophage-Based Biocontrol of Salmonella: A One-Health Approach” on Thursday, April 27, beginning at 12:45 p.m. The virtual seminar will take place on Zoom.

Abstract

Recent concerns regarding the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food production have led to the withdrawal of the use of many antibiotics for preventative purposes in the agri-food industry globally. However, the reduced use of antibiotics may also be accompanied with issues such as reduced product quality, reduced yields, and increased microbiological contaminations. Bacteriophages are considered natural predators of bacterial pathogens. As such, there is a strong demand to develop eco-friendly alternative strategies to reduce the burden of microbial contamination through the application of bacteriophages. This talk will discuss the recent progresses and challenges associated with developing bacteriophage-based biocontrol methods in the agri-food sector.

Bio

Thomas Brenner is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Wang Lab of Molecular Food Safety at the University of British Columbia in collaboration with the BC Genome Science Centre PeptAID project. His current research focuses on the strategic integration of bacteriophage and peptide applications to target salmonella and E. coli along the poultry production continuum. Previously, Brenner was employed as a project manager and research associate under the Canadian Glycomics Network and Salmonella Syst-OMICS. For these roles, he investigated novel treatments for oral pathogens and the potential for bacteriophages to disrupt salmonella biofilms. His goal is to produce economically feasible and safe alternative antimicrobials for use in agriculture.