{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Balancing The Future","title":"Bugs As Drugs: A Journey into the Weird and Wonderful World of the Microbiome","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/20403318\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1990,"description":"What are “bugs as drugs?” These are live microbes used as therapies designed to help rebalance our microbiomes, offering hope against everything from antibiotic-resistant infections to chronic diseases. But working with living organisms isn’t as simple as formulating a pill. These therapies raise deep scientific, regulatory, and manufacturing challenges. \nIn this episode of Balancing the Future, Micah and Chai are joined by Dr. Moira Monika Schuler, Global Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls Manager at Wacker Biotech. Together, they explore how our microbiomes shape human health in ways we’re only beginning to understand. From gut disorders to mood regulation and hormone balance, the microbiome is emerging as a central player in 21st-century medicine. \nThey dive into groundbreaking work like fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs), FDA-approved microbial therapeutics, and the race to develop safe and scalable live biotherapeutic products. But the conversation also touches on the many hurdles: ensuring consistency among living strains, developing complicated sterile delivery systems, and navigating a fragmented regulatory landscape across the U.S. and Europe. \nLINKS \nDr. Moira Monika Schuler on LinkedIn \nWacker Biotech Website \nMETTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions Website \nMETTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions on LinkedIn \nBalancing The Future Podcast Website \nMicah Schweizer on LinkedIn \nChai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn \nSOURCES \nThe Hidden Crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance in Contaminated Water – Balancing the Future \nAntibiotics and the gut microbiome: Understanding the impact on human health – ScienceDirect \nFecal microbiota transplantation reduces amounts of antibiotic-resistance genes in patients with multidrug-resistant organisms - Biomedical.com \nAbout C. diff – U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention \nHarnessing the power of the microbiome for people and planet - APC Microbiome Ireland \nGlobal Manufacturing of CAR T Cell Therapy – PubMed \nRapid Sterility...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/Pdz75J9vcHeJ4yds5tmYwMJQx0rFGsRV7sZb9oJezxg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iNzMy/ZmNiNGYyNDFmODQ1/NjdhZWY5YzlkYWEx/NzNmYi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}