Responsive hydrogel platforms towards the prevention of medical device-associated infections

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections represent a high priority global healthcare challenge. We have recently identified a suite of non-antibiotic active agents with promising antibacterial and anti-encrustation activities.
This project will involve the development of hydrogel platforms, incorporating these new agents, as candidate urinary catheter coatings. The multifunctional hydrogel platforms to be developed will act as carriers of these agents to provide responsive, localized release at the site of infection while also increasing lubricity of the device surface to avoid associated problems of pain and tissue trauma.
Through development of multifunctional polymeric systems and characterization of performance using clinically-relevant models and testing, this interdisciplinary project will develop urgently-needed new technologies to address the alarming incidence of medical device-associated infections.