Well, recently, my colleagues and I designed constrained peptides that neutralize influenza virus, protect against botulism poisoning and block cancer cells from growing.
But some tenacious pathogens, including the ones that cause botulism and tetanus, make it through this caustic cauldron and thrive in the intestines beyond.
The toxin, which is secreted by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, can appear in canned foods, and once you are struck by botulism the outlook isn’t good.