DNA nanohydrogel loaded Liposomal formulations for high loading efficiency of antimicrobial drugs against intracellular bacterial and topical biofilm infections

Descrizione del progetto

Sistemi innovativi per migliorare il carico dei farmaci in nanomedicina

I batteri responsabili delle infezioni cutanee persistenti e intracellulari sono difficili da curare, e rappresentano una sfida medica e socioeconomica significativa. Analogamente, gli antimicrobici non riescono a penetrare le biopellicole batteriche formatesi su varie superfici. Per affrontare questi problemi, gli scienziati del progetto NANOZID, finanziato dall’UE, lavoreranno su nano idrogel di DNA che fungono da veicoli avanzati di antimicrobici. L’obiettivo principale è aumentare l’efficienza di carico e di intervento dei liposomi contro le infezioni batteriche difficili da raggiungere e da curare. Questo approccio potrebbe costituire le basi per tecnologie e prodotti nuovi e brevettabili, contribuendo a contrastare il diffondersi della resistenza agli antimicrobici.

Obiettivo

Dr. Sybil Obuobi was awarded her PhD in Pharmacy at the National University of Singapore (Singapore) in July 2018 and is very excited to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Tromso The Arctic University of Norway (UiT, Norway) under the supervision of Prof. Natasa Skalko-Basnet, a renowned expert in advanced drug delivery. Their project will exploit DNA nanohydrogels, as a novel universal platform to improve the loading efficiency of antimicrobials in mannosylated liposomes against intracellular and topical biofilm infections. This approach fills the current research gap for high drug loading innovative systems in nanomedicine and holds great promise to improve drug efficacy against difficult-to-reach pathogens thus, there is immense potential for new patentable technologies/products. This area of research will advance knowledge in antimicrobial drug delivery and the outcomes will appeal to formulation scientists, R&D scientists and people with persistent skin infections that impose significant economic challenge and contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. With access to state-of-the-art equipment and interdisciplinary environment within the participating organisations (UiT, University of Helsinki and BIOTEC Pharmacon ASA) and administrative support, Dr. Obuobi will acquire new skills in life sciences, expertise in state-of the art biofilm models, hands-on teaching experience, transferrable skills in grant/patent applications and project management alongside new knowledge in product development. Against the backdrop of her notable achievements as a young scientist, she has the capacity to attain research growth through this fellowship and will seize this opportunity to diversify her competency, improve her record of publications, gain independence, build new international networks and apply for an ERC-StG grant- outputs that are expected benchmarks for academic appointments and essential to launch her career within Norway/Scandinavia.