Development of AMP-based plasma nanofilms and their validation by means of a MEMSthermal sensor system

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The widespread use of ever new antibiotics increases the evolutionary pressure set on bacteria. This leads to an increasing development of antibiotics resistance with clinical - in some cases fatal - consequences for patients, especially when the medication is not indication-specific or not applied appropriately. In this regard, biofilms are of particular importance: antibacterial substances cannot penetrate the biofilm and consequently do not work effectively unless when using significantly higher concentrations of antibiotics. The project team would like to address this problem from a new standpoint: by inhibiting the attachment of bacteria to interfaces, thus preventing the first step of biofilm formation. A promising substance to minimize bacterial colonization at interfaces is the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Their effectiveness in regards to a variety of bacteria, fungi and even viruses is very diverse. The AMPs also work effectively against multi-resistant bacteria and lead to their killing even at very low concentrations. AMPs thus belong to a new class of anti-infectives, which have the potential to substitute antibiotics and avoid the concomitant problems of multi-resistance. Today, however, the wide use of AMPs is not possible due to the lack of an immobilization method on the target surfaces. During this joint project, the team will investigate a new method. The AMPs shall be brought to and simultaneously immobilized on the surface by means of a plasma jet. The optimization of the matrix polymer for the attachment of the AMPs with regard to the preservation of their specific structure offers a high research interest as well as a first step towards a broad application of AMP-based antibacterial plasma nanofilms. In this joint project, a strong focus will be set on the oral cavity, an area known for its huge amount of bacteria, its bacterial diversity and its constantly changing microbial composition. A successful evaluation of these coatings in harsh conditions, such as those found in the oral cavity, is a milestone for the human and dental medicine. Areas such as implantology, surgery, but also industrial applications, such as the water supply, would enormously benefit from such a solution. In addition, an individualized test system shall be developed, which allows a precise analysis of the produced antibacterial coatings. The successful development and characterization of the planned antibacterial coatings combined with a high-performance thermal sensor system will be a turning point in the effective use of surface-bonded AMPs, as well as a turning point in the global fight against antibiotics resistance.