Dr. Siân Owen, Principal Investigator in the Wadsworth Center’s Division of Genetics, delivered the keynote address at the 2nd Annual Buffalo Phage Meeting on December 11, 2025, at the University at Buffalo. The meeting brought together researchers, clinicians, and trainees from across Western New York to highlight advances in bacteriophage research and applications to medicine, public health, and biotechnology.
In her keynote lecture, “Phages in Technicolor: Innovating virus discovery to combat antibiotic resistance and more…”, Dr. Owen showcased novel approaches for discovering and studying bacteriophages—viruses that infect bacteria—with a focus on how phages interact with antibiotic-resistance plasmids. As interest grows in phage therapy to combat drug-resistant infections, her work underscores the Wadsworth Center’s leadership in innovative strategies to address antibiotic resistance.
The event highlighted the strength of New York State’s phage research community and reinforced the Wadsworth Center’s role in advancing cutting-edge research to protect public health.