Antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles towards oral and wound bacteria embedded in biofilms

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Part of the difficulty in treating organisms for bacterial infection is that the bacteria are often embedded within**biofilms, which are complex superstructures in which bacterial microcolonies are dispersed in a matrix of**extracellular polymeric substances, lipids, and metabolites. The development of drugs and molecules that can**efficiently be transported across the complex biofilm matrix is essential in order to prepare effect treatments.**Given the complexity of the biofilms and the development of multidrug resistance, non-traditional antibacterial**agents are of emerging interest for the treatment of pathogenic microorganisms. In this context, SK Nano are**producing novel nanomaterials as a cost-effective alternative to the traditional anti-bacterials. The**nanoparticles have numerous projected applications in antibacterial products, which gives them great potential**for commercialization related to wound care, dermatology, veterinary diseases and oral health problems. Using**state-of-the art techniques that are available in our lab (single particle inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy,**SP-ICPMS; dynamic light scattering, DLS; analytical ultracentrifugation, AUC and transmission electron**microscopy, TEM), we will first precisely characterize novel Ag nanomaterials with different sizes, shapes and**surface coatings are being synthesized by SK Nano. In a second step, anti-bacterial properties of AgNPs (three**different sizes, three different forms, three different surface coatings) will be quantified using confocal**scanning laser microscopy (CSLM). Diffusion of the nanoparticles within the bacterial biofilms will be**evaluated by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. The project will enable us to better understand**structure-function relationships relating the properties of the novel materials with their biological function.**Such information will both further our mechanistic understanding of these products and allow SK Nano to**better design future products with appropriate antibacterial activity.