The Jumbophage Cocktail_Fighting Superbugs and Shrimp Disease

Researchers at Chulalongkorn University are studying “jumbophages,” giant bacteriophages that attack bacteria, including unusual “nucleus-forming” types that create a protective compartment inside infected bacterial cells. The Bangkok-based work is part of a broader effort to find alternatives to antibiotics as antimicrobial resistance grows and to address bacterial threats to shrimp farming. Associate Prof. Dr. Vorrapon Chaikeeratisak, whose “Microbe Lab” has focused on bacteriophages, phage-derived antimicrobials, and antibiotic discovery since 2018, said the lab aims to understand how these approaches kill multidrug-resistant pathogens. The research highlights phages’ diversity and their potential as “microscopic predators” for harder-to-treat infections.