(33d) Preventing Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infections Using an Antimicrobial Coating Composed of "Janus" Nanoparticles

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are one of the largest problems in the field of medicine today.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), at least two million people become infected annually with bacteria resistant to one or more of our current antibiotics that would normally be used to kill the infection.  Of those two million people, at least 23,000 die from these infections annually.  The CDC also estimates that between healthcare costs and the cost to society for lost productivity, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are costing the United States as much as $55 billion dollars per year. One of the major areas where infection occurs is from contamination from improperly sterilized equipment and surfaces (hospitals, medical clinics, etc.).  Nanomedicine provides some potentialfor preventing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

“Smart” nanoparticles have been developed that self-assembly on surfaces and adhere to and destroy antibiotic resistant bacteria.  The particles consisted of two distinct hemispheres, so called “Janus” nanoparticles, with one side being hydrophobic and the other containing antimicrobial properties.

The nanoparticles were characterized using TEM imaging, DLS analysis, FTIR analysis, while ongoing studies will confirm its antimicrobial properties.  This work has the potential to revolutionize antimicrobial coatings, as well as save thousands of lives every year.