Can nanosensors identify antimicrobial release to inform the design of novel biofilm dispersion technology for washing machines to reduce biofouling a

我们周围的微生物形成了高度粘附的生物膜。这些生物膜的扩散将减少潜在的危及生命的感染宿主。生物膜是包裹在基质内的复杂细菌群落。生物膜内的环境微生态可以预测，如缺氧口袋，pH值变化，但尚未完全表征。监测微生境中化学物质的波动有可能探测到杀菌剂的渗透。人们每天都暴露在衣服上的细菌中，这些细菌可以通过高温洗涤来杀死。大多数洗衣机达不到设定的温度，所以生物膜会在洗衣机里形成。铜绿假单胞菌是洗衣机生物膜中的主要细菌，可引起人类感染。生物膜的形成对铜绿假单胞菌的持久性和普遍性至关重要。因此，了解生物膜以确定能够破坏它们的抗菌策略是消除这种潜在感染库的关键。Aylott实验室纳米传感器的发展提供了一种监测与单个细菌细胞接触的分子的新方法。纳米传感器可以穿透铜绿假单胞菌生物膜，并根据ph值的变化发出荧光。CBS实验室拥有大量铜绿假单胞菌生物膜表征工具。联合利华拥有就地生物膜材料和含铅杀菌剂以及相关的运输工具。按需递送的工程杀菌剂应该减少细菌中选择抗性机制的可能性。该学生将受益于联合利华的研究和商业培训。学生将产生关于复杂微生物群落的新颖和基础知识以及创新的商业产品。为了设计出可以按需运送杀菌剂的车辆，学生将从联合利华获得现场生物膜和铅杀菌剂，以及相关的运送车辆。在UoN，学生将分析洗衣机生物膜的微生物成分，并在“自由”或“封装”杀菌剂存在的情况下描述微环境。包括细胞外多糖在内的生物膜效应物的生产也将被表征。

Microbes surrounding us form highly adherent biofilms. Dispersal of these biofilms would reduce potential reservoirs of life-threatening infections. Biofilms are complex bacterial communities encased within a matrix. Environmental microniches within biofilms are predicted e.g. anoxic pockets, pH variation, but have not been fully characterized. Monitoring chemical fluctuations in microniches could potentially detect biocide penetration. People are exposed daily to bacteria on their clothing that can be killed by washing at high temperatures. Most washing machines do not reach programmed temperatures, so biofilms can form in the washing machine. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a predominant bacterium within washing machine biofilms and causes human infections. Biofilm formation is important to the persistence and ubiquity of P. aeruginosa. Understanding biofilms to identify antimicrobial strategies that can disrupt them is thus key to removing this potential reservoir of infection. The development of nanosensors in the Aylott Lab provides a novel way to monitor molecules in contact with individual bacterial cells. Nanosensors penetrate P. aeruginosa biofilms and emit fluorescence in response to variation in pH. CBS Labs have a large collection of P. aeruginosa biofilm characterization tools. Unilever has in situ biofilm material plus lead biocides with relevant delivery vehicles. Engineering biocides for on-demand delivery should reduce the likelihood that resistance mechanisms will be selected in the bacteria.The student will benefit from training in research and business at Unilever. The student will generate novel and fundamental knowledge about complex microbial communities as well as an innovative commercial product. To inform the design of vehicles that can deliver biocides on-demand, the student will obtain in situ biofilms plus lead biocides with relevant delivery vehicles from Unilever. At UoN the student will analyse microbial components of washing machine biofilms alongside characterizing the microenvironments in the presence of 'free' or 'encapsulated' biocides. The production of biofilm effectors including extracellular polysaccharides within microniches will also be characterized.