Ancient-biotics: Medieval Remedies Meet Modern Microbiology with Dr. Freya Harrison

What if the future of antimicrobial discovery lies buried in medieval manuscripts? In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with microbiologist Dr. Freya Harrison of the University of Warwick about the emerging field of “Ancient-biotics”. They examine how early medieval remedies such as Bald’s eyesalve are being reconstructed and tested against modern antibiotic-resistant biofilms. Dr. Harrison explains how her lab builds infection models that mimic the human body, why biofilms are so difficult to treat, and how combinations of natural products like honey and vinegar may hold clues to new antimicrobial strategies. This conversation bridges microbiology, Medieval texts, and pharmacology showcasing how historical knowledge can still inform modern medicine.

You can listen to Ancient-biotics: Medieval Remedies Meet Modern Microbiology with Dr. Freya Harrison online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Ancient-biotics: Medieval Remedies Meet Modern Microbiology with Dr. Freya Harrison is an episode from Foodie Pharmacology Podcast by Co-Conspiracy Entertainment.

This episode is 46:03 long.

This episode was published on Mar 2, 2026.

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