Novel Therapies for BioFilm-Related Infections

描述（由研究者提供）：生物膜是表面附着的细菌群落，包裹在水合的胞外多糖基质中。在体内，感染细菌在医疗植入物（如留置导尿管）上形成生物膜。在这种生物膜生长模式下，它们对抗生素和人体免疫系统的攻击具有抵抗力。葡萄球菌生物膜是医院获得性植入物感染的主要原因，每年导致约3万人死亡。表皮葡萄球菌是这些感染的主要原因。这项快速通道拨款的总体目标是发现选择性阻断葡萄球菌生物膜形成的药物。这些药物将用于覆盖医疗植入物的表面，以防止植入物在患者体内形成生物膜。在第一阶段，我们将展示在表皮葡萄球菌中进行分子遗传分析的能力；我们将开发一种基于细胞的高通量筛选生物膜发育，我们将开发一个表皮葡萄球菌的生物膜反应器系统。第一阶段的工作将提供第二阶段所需的所有分子遗传学工具和筛选方法，以发现有效的葡萄球菌生物膜形成的小分子抑制剂。

DESCRIPTION (provided by investigator): Biofilms are surface attached bacterial communities encased in a hydrated matrix of exopolysaccharide. In the body, infecting bacteria form biofilms on medical implants, such as indwelling catheters. In this biofilm mode of growth, they are resistant to antibiotics and attack by the body's immune system. Staphylococcal biofilms are the leading cause of hospital acquired implant-based infections, which result in approximately 30,000 deaths per year. S. epidermidis is the leading cause of these infections. The overall goal of this Fast Track grant is to discover drugs that selectively block the formation of staphylococcal biofilms. These drugs will be used to coat the surfaces of medical implants to prevent biofilm development when implants are placed in patients. Here, in phase I, we will demonstrate the capacity to perform molecular genetic analyses in S. epidermidis; we will develop a cell-based high throughput screen for biofilm development, and we will develop a biofilm reactor system for S. epidermidis. The work in Phase I will provide all the molecular genetic tools and screening methods needed in Phase II for the discovery of potent small molecule inhibitors of staphylococcal biofilm formation.