SBIR Phase I: Non-pharmaceutical, light and ultrasound combination therapy to prevent SSI's and HAI's

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The broader impact/commercial the potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is significant reduction in suffering and healthcare costs from the incidence of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs), Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs), and Superbugs. This project will provide many societal benefits: improved disaster care prior to hospitalization; better in-field military injury outcomes; improved infection care in underdeveloped nations with limited access to hospitals and clinics, and others. Costs of HAIs and SSIs currently exceed $41B worldwide. A recent estimate indicates that failing to tackle antibiotic resistance could lead to over 10M deaths annually, and millions in cumulative economic damage. The proposed technology is an infection treatment that does not use antibiotics. As an alternative, this project will offer a non-pharmaceutical solution providing cost-effective treatments that reduce the clinical use of antibiotics. This project will provide a reduction in patient suffering, improved medical outcomes, and reduced overall healthcare costs.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a non-pharmaceutical therapy that selectively kills bacteria and viruses and prevents SSI’s and HAI’s and does not induce further antimicrobial resistance. The project focuses on combining and simultaneous applying specific wavelengths of light and sound frequency resulting in a novel therapeutic dose to kill bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The technology can be used pre-surgery to disinfect body areas where the surgery will be performed, and post-surgery to prevent infections at surgical sites. The innovative combination of specific wavelengths of light and sound frequency activates a unique biochemical mechanism to kill bacteria from within. The research will identify ideal materials that will transmit both light and sound energies efficiently whilst meeting safety, efficacy, and ergonomic configurations for proposed applications. The aim is to also find optimal treatment times to treat different areas of the body for specific bacterial infections.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.