Relevant Key Words:

Biomaterials and biocompatibility; microbial pathogenecity; medical devices and microbial infection; microbial resistance.

Research Expertise relevant to tissue engineering & repair:

Microbial pathogenicity

Bacteria adapt to their host environment elaborating protection mechanisms and virulence factors.  This phenotypic change is essential to their infectivity and can be modelled in in vivo reflective in vitro models.  Examples of models include the dialysed peritoneal cavity and the urinary tract.

Biomaterials and biocompatibility

Medical devices and implants are required to demonstrate compatibility with their host biological tissue.  This requires specific attention to surface interactions to minimise adverse biological reactions.  Clinical areas include:  urology, CAPD, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, wound healing.

Medical devices and microbial infection

Microbial infection is a frequent consequence of catheterisation and device implantation.  Such infections are often intractable as a consequence of biofilm growth on the implanted device.  Antiadherent or antimicrobial surfaces have been developed to minimise this hazard.  Novel control approaches using bacteriophage are under investigation.

Mechanisms of antibacterial action

Biocides employed in disinfection, sterilization and preservation are essential adjuncts to antibiotic measures for controlling infectious hazards.  An understanding of mechanisms of action aids new compound design, overcoming possible risks of cross-resistance with antibiotic agents.

School Profile Page

If you have reagents that may be of interest to the CITER Membership, e.g. cell lines, microbiological cultures. Please give a representative list below:

Microorganisms isolated from device-related infection

Antibiotic/disinfectant resistant microorganisms

Techniques for characterising microbial physicochemical properties.