• Question: Hi Tom I would like to know what’s is PROTEUS?

    Asked by 226cesk27 to Eoin, Ester, Ildiko, Natasha, Paul, Tom on 6 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Eoin McKinney

      Eoin McKinney answered on 6 Nov 2017:

      Hi – as well as being the ancient Greek god of rivers (!), Proteus refers to a family of bacteria that live in water and survive by feeding on dead tissue from animals. Some can cause disease if they get inside our bodies, usually through urine or kidney infections.

    • Photo: Tom Speight

      Tom Speight answered on 7 Nov 2017:

      Proteus is the name of the big research team I’m a member of. It was set up to bring people together across different scientific areas to build a new medical device.

      My whole team has over 45 people working together across three universities. The team is made up of all different kinds of scientists: biologists like me, but physicists, chemists, engineers, medical doctors, computer programmers. It means we all get to learn more about different sciences and work together on entirely new things.

      The device involves creating a new way for us to diagnose lung disease. We’re building a specially-made bundle of fibres that are only the thickness of a hair that can access the deepest parts of the lungs (the alveoli). We can shine light down the fibre to light up this part of the lung to help diagnose disease. For example, we have also made “Smartprobes” that can be safely sprayed into the alveoli and light up any bacteria that may be causing an infection.

      My own project involves using this device to monitor the white blood cells in the lung. Because with this technology we’ll be able to track the white blood cells in real time, and see if they are still able to eat any bacteria that are in the lung or if we need to help them.

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