Extrapolation
from laboratory tests.
Not always correct?
Experiments within the laboratory are often used to understand biological interactions in a controlled manner. Yet research by Comforth et al (2018) suggests that what we learn from the laboratory may not always represent what happens in reality.
The researchers found that Pseudomonas bacteria (a pathogen that threatens immunocompromised people) behaved differently in humans compared to under laboratory conditions. This was particularly apparent in the levels of gene expression involved in antibiotic resistance, cell to cell communication and metabolism. The implications of this work suggest laboratory studies only take us so far and further understanding bacterial behaviour in humans is just as important.
Original research: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1717525115