| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/I028080/1 |
| Title: |
Anti-Biofilm Materials Using Multifunctional MOFs |
| Principal Investigator: |
Morris, Professor RE |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Chemistry |
| Organisation: |
University of St Andrews |
| Scheme: |
Follow on Fund |
| Starts: |
05 March 2011 |
Ends: |
31 May 2012 |
Value (£): |
152,889
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Chemical Synthetic Methodology |
Drug Formulation & Delivery |
| Energy Storage |
Medical science & disease |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Healthcare |
Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
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20 Oct 2010
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Follow On Fund 9
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Announced
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Biofilm infections are a major source of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections, accounting for ~65% of all those treated in the Western world (according to an estimate in 1999 ). Almost a defining feature of biofilms is their increased resistance to both antimicrobial drugs and to the host animal's own defences. This makes them particularly difficult targets, and even strains of microbe that are effectively treated when in their non-biofilm (planktonic) form are often untreatable when formed in biofilms. There is therefore a great incentive to develop new methods of combating such infections. In this project we will look to develop the commercial and technical aspects of a technology that we originally developed during an EPSRC-funded research projects (GR/T09705/01 Designing Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks to Store and Deliver Large Amounts of Nitric Oxide). We have proven that nitric oxide delivered from metal organic frameworks, a type of highly porous inorganic organic hybrid material, is extremely potent at killing bacteria, even when the bacteria have formed biofilm communities. We have also shown that, because of the very highly porous nature of the metal organic frameworks, we can load drugs or other small molecules simultaneously with the NO. In this project we aim to develop the commercial potential of these materials with a goal of developing a product for the anti-biofilm market. In particular our previous results have shown that we can formulate these materials into polymers suitable for coating medical devices. Over the course of this project we will coat commercial devices with MOF-containing polymers and prove their anti-biofilm activity under industry standard conditions. We will also develop a commercialisation for this technology in the anti-biofilm area as well as improving the strength of our intellectual property and identifying important potential commercial partners.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.st-and.ac.uk |