Bacterial skin infections from drug-resistant bacteria in hospitals can be fatal. This is because such infections typically occur in patients with already compromised immune system (e.g. diabetic, cancer chemotherapy, HIV patients), and can rapidly progress within the body causing life-threatening sepsis. Current treatments involve continuous and high-dosage systemic administration of a mixture of potent antibiotics. However, such treatments are often not effective with detrimental side-effects to patients. Other conventional delivery systems, such as gels and creams often struggle to overcome the necrotic tissue barrier with minimal drug penetration to infected site. Thus, there is a need for novel treatments of such infections.
Infections are the leading cause of implant failure that lead to increased patient pain and functional loss affecting thousands of people with enormous costs. The ideal surface of an implant should serve two functions: promote osseointegration (connection between bone and implant) and prevent infection. Although osseointegration can be achieved today and has been optimized over the years since the introduction of 45S5 bioglass in 1960’s, infection control has not been resolved, yet. Bacterial growth on implant surface forms biofilms, in which bacteria produce a protective polymeric extracellular substance. Such bacteria are more difficult to kill than individual ones floating around the body. The poor vascularity in implant sites inhibits the effective antibiotic delivery there when administered systemically. Today, there is no commercial implant that combines both osseointegration and anti-infection properties.
This project addresses both urgent societal and industrial needs in the field: Our target is to develop the next generation of smart medical devices that fight and prevent the most prevalent public health threat today, infections from drug-resistant bacteria. This is done while employing a nanomanufacturing process with proven scalability and reproducibility, flame aerosol technology, to assist rapid technology transfer to industry. We employ flame direct nanoparticle deposition on substrates and combine nanoparticle production and functional layer deposition in a single-step with close attention to product nanoparticle properties and assembly of devices. Specific focus lies on two smart medical products; a) hybrid polymer microneedle patch to fight life-threatening skin infections from drug-resistant bacteria and b) nanocoatings on medical implant surfaces providing both osteogenic as well as self-triggered antibacterial properties.
