Novel Therapies for BioFilm-Related Infections

描述(由研究人员提供)：生物膜是包裹在胞外多糖水合基质中的表面附着的细菌群落。在人体内，感染细菌在医疗植入物上形成生物膜，如留置导管。在这种生物膜生长模式下，它们对抗生素具有抵抗力，并受到身体免疫系统的攻击。葡萄球菌生物被膜是医院获得性植入物感染的主要原因，每年导致约30,000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地阻止葡萄球菌生物被膜形成的药物。这些药物将被用来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。在这里，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生物膜形成筛查，我们将开发一种表皮葡萄球菌生物膜反应器系统。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被膜形成小分子抑制剂。

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.