Antimicrobial resistance has become a major global public health emergency that accounts for 2.8 million infections per year according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite new and existing antibiotics on the market, the antimicrobial resistance is outpacing the development, making the need for new antimicrobial treatments a growing priority.
Yan Yu, a professor at the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Chemistry, has developed an antibacterial Janus nanoparticle that is 10 to 30 times more effective at killing bacteria than other nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are so small that they are undetectable by the human eye, ranging between 1 to 100 nanometers in size. The nanoparticle provides an alternative antibacterial material compared to traditional antimicrobial nanoparticles and has high potency with little dosage.
Recently, nanoparticles have been used to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as their properties have been found to overcome antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. Yu said that unlike conventional antibiotics, which often target specific bacterial proteins or processes, nanoparticles can disrupt bacterial cells through a combination of multiple mechanisms, such as generating reactive oxygen species or physically damaging cell membranes. This reduces the likelihood of bacteria developing resistance. Additionally, nanoparticles can be engineered to target specific pathogens, minimizing harm to beneficial microbes and reducing side effects. Their versatility makes them a promising solution in the fight against drug-resistant infections.
“Our nanoparticle is more effective in killing bacteria because its surface chemistry is vastly different as it’s made with distinct surface coatings on two sides,” Yu said. “One hemisphere is designed to attract the particle to the bacterial surface, while the other is specialized for rupturing the bacterial membrane. This dual functionality delivers a powerful one-two punch, enhancing its antibacterial effectiveness.”
Yu’s research was featured in American Chemical Society’s Applied Nano Materials which further details the antibacterial properties of the Janus nanoparticles. Yu’s lab merges nanoparticles and immune cell studies for the development of nanoparticles that detect infectious diseases and modulate immune responses for antibacterial applications.
Yu plans to further test the efficacy of the Janus nanoparticles against multi-drug resistant hospital strains with researchers at Osaka University. She has partnered with the IU Innovation and Commercialization Office to further her research. In addition, she has been awarded two patents for her invention of “Bull’s Eye” Janus particles that activate T cells in vitro for immune therapy and a patent for her invention of multi-channel nanoparticle sensors that detect abnormal immune functions in infectious diseases. She is seeking an industry partner to help commercialize her research.
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