Novel Antimicrobial Therapeutic Materials for Treatment of Wound Infection

Project ID: 2531ad1524

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UCL Lead department: Division of Medicine

Lead Supervisor: Richard Day

Project Summary:

The NHS spends £billions annually on wound management. Chronic wounds affect ~18 million individuals and >16% of antibiotic prescriptions are attributed to wound care. Small molecule precursor compounds that produce oxidative biocides with antimicrobial properties, such as hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid, could provide new therapeutic products to combat resistant wound infections. We have previously shown that biomaterials can provide targeted delivery and controlled release of a peroxygen donor (sodium percarbonate) combined with an acetyl donor (tetraacetylethylenediamine; TAED) to deliver local antimicrobial activity via a dynamic equilibrium mixture of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid (PAA) [doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2017.10.001]. The project will investigate loading of acetyl- and peroxygen donors into prototype wound dressing materials aimed at combating infections in chronic wounds. This approach is novel, unconventional, and could provide a disruptive alternative approach to conventional antibiotics. To achieve this, the project will optimize loading of sodium percarbonate and TAED into biomaterials designed for use as chronic wound dressings. The antimicrobial activity of the materials will be tested against representative target organisms (S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, C. albicans) along with their cytocompatibility. The project is highly impactful and is part of an existing UCL collaboration with AGA Nanotech Ltd, a leader in non-antibiotic antimicrobial technology. The student will gain a solid foundation in scientific research covering techniques associated with materials science, chemistry, engineering, and microbiology, as well as industry skills, such as product development, regulatory affairs, and commercialization strategies for medical technology. This will equip the student with unique skills applicable to the next generation of antimicrobial therapeutics. The outcome of the project will be the development of a clinically viable wound care product, capable of transitioning to preclinical testing, with the potential to reduce antibiotic reliance and improve patient outcomes.