Accessibility statement

Assessment of the activity of novel antimicrobial therapies against bacterial biofilms: establishing a resource to support non-microbiologists 

Pacemaker lead infection

Bacteria often exist in communities called biofilms. When these biofilms form on the surface of in-dwelling medical devices, it becomes a serious clinical problem because the infections seem recalcitrant to antimicrobial treatment and therapies.  Thus therapeutic approaches targeting these communities and their formation might improve the efficacy of currently available antibiotics.

This project brought together microbiology expertise (Van der Woude, CII) to test effectiveness of novel antimicrobial therapies under development, specifically: modifying drugs to circumvent resistance (Duhme-Klair and Routledge, Chemistry), identifying bacterial targets for biofilm inhibiting agents (Potts, Biology), and biomedical plasmas (Vann,Plasma Institute). An additional aim was to support the establishment of a University “biofilm interest” network through which resources and strategies can be shared, and to encourage the development of complementary strategies.

Principal Investigator

Dr Marjan van der Woude
Centre for Immunology and Infection

Co-Investigators

Dr Roderick Vann
School of Physics, Engineering and Technology
roddy.vann@york.ac.uk

Professor Jennifer Potts
Department of Biology

Dr Anne-Kathrin Duhme-Klair
Department of Chemistry
anne.duhme-klair@york.ac.uk

Dr Anne Routledge
Department of Chemistry
anne.routledge@york.ac.uk