IRC Next Steps Plus: Photonic Pathogen Theranostics - Point-of-care image guided photonic therapy of bacterial and fungal infection

细菌和真菌感染是造成重大死亡、残疾和不良后果的原因，也是卫生服务的主要财政负担。侵入性手术或人体自身防御被破坏而造成的感染很常见，由于抗菌素耐药性的增加，感染的发生率和严重程度正在增加。在过去，抗生素很容易治疗这种感染。因此，可以说，这项研究解决了现代医疗保健面临的最大挑战，即抗菌素耐药性的上升。后抗生素时代迫在眉睫，迫切需要不依赖于传统抗生素和抗真菌药物的新策略。这项研究计划将发展到接近临床的准备阶段，新型治疗分子将与微生物特异性结合，随后在低能光下激活，以增加微生物的杀灭。爱丁堡大学和利物浦大学的研究人员将与印度的合作伙伴以及全球外科网络合作，开展创建该技术平台所需的不同要素的工作。该项目将以Proteus跨学科“中心”为基础，以确保快速的产品开发。研究人员将花时间在彼此的实验室，并安排每年一次的开放式网络会议，以确保更广泛的参与。提案中的科学家（研究人员和共同研究人员）都是早期的职业研究人员，他们将从网络和建立微生物光动力疗法的靶向治疗递送领域中获益良多。这项研究将涉及化学家、生产工程师、NHS医学物理学、生物工程师、工业合作者和一个由高级临床医生（呼吸和重症监护医生、外科医生和眼科医生）组成的团队，共同开发和测试各种模型系统中的技术，以证明该技术在涉及皮肤、伤口、眼睛和肺部等表面的应用中的广泛适用性。这项研究的一个关键目标是为后续的临床开发铺平道路，因此用户（临床和监管）的投入在技术的开始和发展中将是至关重要的。这项研究将以“安全、负担得起和可扩展”的解决方案为宗旨，发展和促进全球联系，从而在各种医疗保健环境中具有最高的临床采用可能性。该团队将利用现有的制造能力和专业知识，监管和商业化支持来加快开发。总之，这个项目将产生；1)一个尖端的护理点技术平台，将帮助全世界的患者，医生和卫生保健工作者2)早期研究人员的职业发展3)通过启动感染靶向治疗来实现Proteus IRC的可持续性4)创建一个可持续的网络来传播该技术

Bacterial and fungal infections are responsible for significant death, disability and poor outcomes and are a major financial burden on the health service. Infections resulting from invasive procedures or injuries whereby the body's own defences are breached are common and are now increasing in incidence and severity due to the rise of antimicrobial resistance. In the past, antibiotics were readily able to treat such infections. This research thus addresses, arguably, the biggest challenge facing modern healthcare, the rise of antimicrobial resistance. The post antibiotic era is looming and novel strategies that do not rely upon conventional antibiotics and antifungals are urgently required. This research proposal will develop to near-clinical readiness, novel classes of therapeutic molecules that will bind specifically to microbes for subsequent activation with low energy light to augment microbial killing.Work on the different elements needed to create this technology platform will be undertaken by investigators at Edinburgh and Liverpool Universities in collaboration with partners in India and in a global surgical network. This project will be based in the Proteus interdisciplinary "hub" to ensure rapid product development. The researchers will spend time in each others labs as well as arranging an open network meeting once a year to ensure broader engagement. The scientists (researcher co-investigators) in the proposal who are all early career researchers will benefit significantly from networking and establishing the area of targeted therapeutic delivery for microbial photodynamic therapy.The research will involve Chemists, Production Engineers, NHS Medical Physics, Bioengineers, industrial collaborators and a committed team of senior clinicians (Respiratory and Critical Care Physicians, Surgeons and Ophthalmologists) to co-develop and test the technology in a variety of model systems to demonstrate the widespread applicability in applications that involve surfaces such as the skin, wounds, eyes and in the lung. A key ambition of the research will be to pave the way for subsequent clinical development and as such user (clinical and regulatory) input will be paramount at the inception and development of the technology. The research will develop and foster global links with an ethos of "safe, affordable and scalable" solutions that will then have the highest likelihood of clinical adoption in a variety of healthcare settings. The team will leverage existing capability and expertise in manufacturing, regulatory and commercialisation support to expedite development. In summary, this project will generate; 1) A cutting-edge point of care technology platform which will help patients, doctors and health care workers throughout the world 2) Career development of the early stage researchers 3) Sustainability for the Proteus IRC by launching into targeted therapy of infection 4) Create a sustainable network to disseminate the technology