Targeting Resistance: Lynn Silver on Smarter Antibiotics

In this episode of The Garden State Microbiome, we’re joined by Dr. Lynn Silver, a microbiologist whose career spans the evolution of modern antibiotic discovery—from early bench science to leading antibacterial teams at Merck & Co., and later, advising biotech firms across the globe.

Dr. Silver shares lessons from decades spent developing antibacterial compounds, emphasizing that single-target drugs often fail the test of time—they're too easy for bacteria to outwit. Instead, the future lies in multi-target molecules and strategic antibiotic combinations. Her insights explain why some drugs succeed while others collapse under resistance pressure.

She also reflects candidly on why she left Merck. As managerial responsibilities grew and the problem-solving joy of scientific inquiry diminished, the tradeoff no longer felt worth it. But consulting has been a different story. For over 20 years, Dr. Silver has helped startups and research organizations ask better questions and find smarter answers about antibiotics—not always lucrative, but deeply fulfilling and intellectually rich.

This episode offers both a history lesson and a personal one: about staying engaged, contributing meaningfully, and finding joy in lifelong learning—even after leaving the corporate lab bench.

Guest: Dr. Lynn Silver

Former Senior Principal Scientist, Merck & Co. Consultant in antibacterial discovery and development Global expert in antibiotic resistance