Biology Department Seminar

The emergence of multi-drug resistance (MDR) bacteria is one of the greatest challenges facing public health care. Among MDR bacteria, the Gram-negative bacterium, P. aeruginosa, is a leading cause of infections and mortality among immuno-compromised individuals such as those with cystic fibrosis. P. aeruginosa readily forms biofilms, mulitcellular matrix encased structures that are often associated with persistent and chronic infections that withstand host immune response and antibiotic treatment. We propose a nanotechnology-driven approach using gold nanorods (70 nm diameter) to selectively target and destroy P. aeruginosa biofilms following excitation by near infrared radiation (NIR). Using gold nanorods that have been covalently linked to primary antibodies we showed a 75% decrease in planktonic cell viability following exposure to NIR compared to controls. Further studies used the same system to target P. aeruginosa biofilms growing in continuous flow chambers. Our results suggest that, following nanorod attachment and NIR exposure, P. aeruginosa biofilms have a noticeable loss in viable cell number and biofilm macro-architecture. This study suggests that a nanotechnology-based approach can be used to treat infectious biofilms. The long term goal of these studies is to develop nanorod-based therapy that can be used to treat a wide array of infectious diseases caused by resistant pathogens.