My lab at UCL studies chronic urinary tract infection – a serious problem in the elderly. Mr Cameron says that the antibiotic resistance crisis could send us back to the Dark Ages. The bacteria are winning, and only research will solve this looming calamity. In labs like mine across the UK, experiments need feeding. Petri dishes aren’t as sexy as big capital, but they’re equally important. Please boost the science budget so we can carry on fighting for our lives. Time is running out.