Talk

Using honey to stop superbugs in their tracks | Nural Cokcetin

Nural Cokcetin

TEDxYouth@Sydney 2017 · 6 September 2017

Antibiotic drugs are essential for saving lives, but we are over prescribing them which leads to superbugs – infection causing bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Microbiology research scientist, Nural Cokcetin believes that can do our bit to slow down antibiotic resistance by using honey as a topical treatment of skin infections and wounds.


Dr Nural Cokcetin is a research scientist specialising in microbiology at the ithree institute, University of Technology Sydney. Her research focuses on the medicinal properties of honey.

Currently, Nural is investigating the antimicrobial properties of honey, with a drive to use this knowledge to promote the use of honey as a topical treatment for skin infections and wounds, and to develop new treatments for infections caused by superbugs that are resistant to antibiotics.

Nural obtained her PhD from the University of NSW in 2015 where she investigated the effects of Australian honeys on the growth of the beneficial and potentially harmful bacteria in the human gut. She was one of the first researchers to show a positive impact on the beneficial populations. Her initial results prompted a human clinical trial, where she investigated the impacts of eating honey on gut health.

Nural is equally passionate about doing research that has direct positive impacts for society as she is about communicating her research to as broad an audience as possible

More ideas like this