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MNNIT experts on new mission: Developing alternatives to prevent antibiotic resistance
They are busy preparing a new-age, low-cost and effective alternative to treating bacterial infections using medicines
Biotechnologists of the state’s lone NIT—Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT)—are busy preparing a new-age, low-cost and effective alternative to treating bacterial infections using medicines that do not cause resistance which often results from long and repeated use of antibiotic medicines.
The mission is being undertaken as part of a three-year department of science and technology (DST)-science and engineering research board (SERB), New Delhi-funded project, researchers said.
“Bacterial infections pose a major threat to human health and are responsible for the most deaths in low-income countries. To combat these infections, antibiotic usage has tremendously increased leading to another problem of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Hence, substantial efforts are being made to explore effective antibacterial alternatives to antibiotics, said Seema Nara, associate professor in MNNIT’s department of Biotechnology, who is heading the project.
The team is conducting research to synthesise catalytic nanomaterials that generate reactive oxygen species (ROS)— highly reactive chemicals formed from oxygen— and can be used as low cost, non-toxic and effective antibiotic alternatives.
“ROS can inactivate bacteria by irreversibly damaging its proteins, DNA, and polysaccharides. This project aims at engineering Cerium oxide-based catalytic nanostructure with good bacteria capture ability and ROS mediated bacterial killing,” Nara said.
As part of this project, the efficacy of the nanozyme (nanomaterial-based artificial enzymes) in combating bacterial infections, disinfections and biofilm inhibition will be studied on a broad range of bacteria such as E coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus—all known to cause a range of life-threatening illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis, toxic shock syndrome and sepsis among others, she explained.
The expert said that the bacteria binding ability of the nanozyme would extend its applicability as an antibacterial coating on medical devices as it could well capture bacteria and kill it through its ROS generating ability.
“It could have future potential and use in a number of applications such as potential antibiotics, in wound healing applications, in suppressing inflammation, etc,” she added.
