Research by CDT student reveals Helicobacter pylori's secret weapon

In a paper published in Science Advances, research by CDT student Naim Hage and colleagues in the School of Pharmacy and AstraZeneca has identified the molecular mechanism used by one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide to attach itself to sugars naturally found on the stomach wall.

Discovered in 1982, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a disease-causing bacterium that survives in our stomachs despite the harsh acidic conditions. It is estimated that one in two people have got it, though most won’t ever experience any problems it is a leading cause of dyspepsia, peptic ulceration and gastric cancer.

Naim Hage, the postgraduate researcher who worked on this project as part of his doctoral thesis, said: “Although it’s still very early, the insight we’ve gained from this study is already very exciting news for patients.”

You can find the full story here and Naim’s article in Science Advances here.