Price unveils the war against superbugs at Cafe Scientifique

The ideal environment of scientific discovery is a free exchange of ideas, untroubled by messy politics and unsympathetic bureaucracies. Regardless of whether the discipline spoken of is medicine or physics, science thrives in an open forum.

Café Scientifique first started about seven years ago. Thomas Huber, a professor in the geography and environmental studies department, originally started the informal gatherings at downtown restaurants for several years.

The meetings had to take a hiatus two years ago, but returned last year when the college offered the use of Clyde's as a gathering place. The event now draws an average audience of about 35 people.

This month's guest lecturer is Connie Savor Price, an infectious disease specialist and assistant professor at the CU School of Medicine in Denver. The title of her discussion is "Super bugs vs. super drugs: the ongoing arms race between bacteria and humans."

Price's focus will be on multi-drug resistant bacteria. "Bacteria are getting smarter, and we don't have any weapons to combat them," she said.

Price also hopes that there will be discussion of alternative viewpoints – especially the viewpoint that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are not nearly as bad as the medical community suggests.

She will also touch on some practical preventative tips. "It's mostly stuff we learned in kindergarten," she said. "Don't spit on your friend, wash your hands."

She recommends good, common sense practices – washing your hands before eating food and after going to the restroom, not sharing towels and taking good care of your skin. Those are all things that can become vectors for bacteria to develop an infection.

Price's prognosis for this issue can be seen as grim. "Bacteria have been around a long time," she said. "They double in number every 20 minutes, when conditions are happy." In contrast, the average lifespan of a human being in the United States is about 78 years.

Genetic mutations occurring within each new generation can spawn whole new strains of bacteria that can potentially become resistant to antibiotics.

"They're going to adapt faster than we ever could," she added.

All is not lost, however. While bacteria have generational evolution on their side, humanity is not without its weapons. "We have technology on our side," Price said.

Price was very clear about what would be needed to solve this problem: "A lot of solutions involve working together," she said. This is not just Americans – antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a global problem. But not everyone wants to get on board.

"There are not a lot of incentives for pharmaceutical companies," she explained.

"It's everywhere in the world, some places more than others," Price said. She has even run into some of these superbugs herself.

"Especially in the military population and wounded warriors," she said. "I have to use older antibiotics that are more toxic."

The next Café Scientifique is scheduled for Feb. 21 and will be held in Clyde's. The event will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. There is no charge, though students are expected to pay for their own meal and beverages. Free parking will be provided in lots 3 and 4 for this event from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

In the UCCS Communique, Huber recommends arriving early so that students will not struggle to find a seat, as the available space is somewhat limited.