Watson Lecture: Bil Clemons Investigates New Approaches to Fighting Bacteria
What if we could use viruses to fight drug-resistant bacteria? On October 23, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. PT in Caltech's Beckman Auditorium, structural biologist Bil Clemons, the Arthur and Marian Hanisch Memorial Professor of Biochemistry, will explore his lab's work to harness viruses known as phages in the battle against bacterial infections.
In a public talk called "Combating Future Pandemics with Viruses," Clemons will explain how he and his research team are deepening their understanding of the methods some phages have evolved to kill bacteria. To prevent a return to the era before penicillin, new strategies for eradicating pathogenic bacteria must be developed, and Clemons believes phages could hold the key. He will also outline how this work can be leveraged for new therapies and new biological tools.
"The reality is that there's lots of pandemics on our horizon," Clemons says. "There are now bacterial infections untreatable by drugs that are killing people at a much higher rate", so that's a problem that I would love to solve. I don't know that we'll do it directly ourselves, but we are working on tools and biological solutions. We really need academics at the frontline to solve these problems, and then support from governments to actually get them into therapies."
Starting at 6 p.m., members of Clemons's lab will be present to answer questions about their current research. Caltech's Diversity in Chemistry Initiative (DICI) will also have a table where guests can learn about their programs.
Clemons received a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Utah working under Venki Ramakrishnan, who shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for research on the structure and function of ribosomes, which Clemons contributed to as a student. Prior to coming to Caltech in 2005, Clemons was a Damon Runyon Cancer Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School for four years. Clemons's research group focuses on understanding the molecular details of life using structural biology tools such as X-ray crystallography. In addition to his faculty position at Caltech, he is the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's program officer for diversity in science.
The Watson Lectures offer new opportunities each month to hear how Caltech researchers are tackling society's most pressing challenges and inventing the technologies of the future. Join a community of curiosity outside Beckman Auditorium to enjoy food, drinks, and music together before each lecture. Interactive displays related to the evening's topic will give audience members additional context and information. The festivities start at 6 p.m. Guests are also encouraged to stay for post-talk coffee and tea as well as the chance to converse with attendees and researchers.
Learn more about the Earnest C. Watson Lecture Series and its history at Caltech.edu/Watson.
Watson Lectures are free and open to the public. Register online. A recording will be made available after the live event.
