Development and optimisation of liposome loaded bone cements

Approximately 110,000 cemented knee and hip replacements were performed in England and Wales in 2014. Failure as a result of infection is a major problem due to the complex treatment required, higher morbidity rates and risk of subsequent failure and complications.

To overcome the limitations of existing antibiotic-loaded cements, a patented liposomal delivery system was developed at the Arthritis Research UK Centre of Bioengineering and Biomechanics at Cardiff. This system releases a higher percentage of the incorporated antibiotic in a controlled and prolonged manner, without compromising mechanical strength.

This PhD studentship is an interdisciplinary project between the Schools of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dentistry and Engineering at Cardiff University. The project will build upon previous work by further investigating the characteristics of drug release from the cement and establishing the mechanisms of action of liposomal antibiotic formulations against potentially resistant clinically isolated bacteria.

The project will also optimise the technology towards clinical translation, enhancing its potential for commercialisation in terms of appropriate and synergistic antibiotic combinations, drug dosage, product stability and potential manufacturing processes using novel microfluidic manufacturing methods in collaboration with an industrial partner. The cytotoxicity of the system will also be determined against a variety of mammalian cells in preparation for future clinical trials.

The successful applicant will join an international team of researchers in a Centre of Excellence for Arthritis Research and have access to state-of–the art technology to address research questions and long-standing expertise in research translation.

For further information, please see: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/arthritis-biomechanics-bioengineering-centre/study-opportunities/phd-studentships