Development of unimolecular antibacterial nanomaterials

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Non-technical:This award by the Division of Materials Research to University of South Florida is to develop novel antibacterial nanomaterials. Due to the emerging resistance in the treatment of microbial diseases, development of new antimicrobial materials is of vital importance. Low-cost polymer-based materials are attractive. However, antimicrobial activity of currently available polymers is at best moderate. This project is to design a new class of unimolecular antibacterial nanomaterials with improved broad-spectrum activity. Through novel design, synthesis and mechanistic studies, more potent antimicrobial agents are expected with the proposed studies. These novel materials can be used for a variety of antimicrobial applications under different conditions. This project is highly interdisciplinary, and embraces cutting-edge chemistry, microbiology, and biomaterials. Both graduate and undergraduate students working in this research are expected to gain diverse expertise and experience. The successful outcome of this project is expected to advance the national interest because it will promote the scientific progress, advance the health and welfare of the U.S. citizens, and potentially improve the national biodefense.Technical:Due to the emerging antibiotic resistance among patients with different diseases, development of novel, potent and broad-spectrum, and low-cost antimicrobial biomaterials with less probability to develop drug-resistance is critical. To this end, this award will design dendrimer-based cationic nanomaterials with diverse functional groups, and controlled charge densities and distributions. The aims of this project are: 1) design and synthesis of nano-micelles with diverse functional groups, and controlled charge densities and distributions; 2) evaluation of the antibacterial activity and selectivity of the nanomaterials being developed against a panel of significant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria; and 3) investigation of the mechanism for antimicrobial activity of these novel materials being developed with a focus on bacterial membrane disruption and bactericidal properties of the novel nano-micelles being studied. The project is highly interdisciplinary and embraces cutting-edge synthetic chemistry, microbiology, biomaterials, biophysics, and biochemistry. Both graduate and undergraduate students, with diverse scientific interests and backgrounds, will gain excellent learning experience with the studies carried out with this award.