via ACS
Biofilms — microbial communities that form slimy layers on surfaces — are difficult to treat and remove, often because the microbes release molecules that block the entry of antibiotics and other therapies. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces have made magnetically propelled microbots derived from tea buds, which they call “T-Budbots,” that can dislodge biofilms, release an antibiotic to kill bacteria, and clean away the debris.
Many hospital-acquired infections involve bacterial biofilms that form on catheters, joint prostheses, pacemakers and other implanted devices. These microbial communities, which are often resistant to antibiotics, can slow healing and cause serious medical complications. Current treatment includes repeated high doses of antibiotics, which can have side effects, or in some cases, surgical replacement of the infected device, which is painful and costly. Dipankar Bandyopadhyay and colleagues wanted to develop biocompatible microbots that could be controlled with magnets to destroy biofilms and then scrub away the mess. The team chose Camellia sinensis tea buds as the raw material for their microbots because the buds are porous, non-toxic, inexpensive and biodegradable. Tea buds also contain polyphenols, which have antimicrobial properties.
The researchers ground some tea buds and isolated porous microparticles. Then, they coated the microparticles’ surfaces with magnetite nanoparticles so that they could be controlled by a magnet. Finally, the antibiotic ciprofloxacin was embedded within the porous structures. The researchers showed that the T-Budbots released the antibiotic primarily under acidic conditions, which occur in bacterial infections. The team then added the T-Budbots to bacterial biofilms in dishes and magnetically steered them. The microbots penetrated the biofilm, killed the bacteria and cleaned the debris away, leaving a clear path in their wake. Degraded remnants of the biofilm adhered to the microbots’ surfaces. The researchers note that this was a proof-of-concept study, and further optimization is needed before the T-Budbots could be deployed to destroy biofilms in the human body.
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Biofilms
- Could Your Water Bottle Make You Sick?
W ashing your reusable water bottle can be an easy chore to overlook—until you pop off the lid to give it a refill and notice a ring of scum. Those smaller bits—like the lid and/or straw—make water ...
- Artificial Sweetener Could Harm Your Gut And The Microbes That Live There New Study
An artificial sweetener called neotame can cause significant harm to the gut, my colleagues and I discovered . It does this harm in two ways. One, b ...
- New structures offer insight into how a bacterial motor powers bacterial chemotaxis, a key infectious process
Bacteria existed for millennia before humans and have been infecting us from the beginning. Although we can treat infections through pharmaceuticals, bacteria continue to become resistant to treatment ...
- Methane Eating Microbes - A Novel Solution For Greenhouse Gas Mitigation
Methane is a significant contributor to human-driven greenhouse gas emissions, but there is useful group of microbes that can help because they use methane for food.
- Listeria cases prompt warning in Iceland
Authorities in Iceland have issued a warning after six people were diagnosed with Listeria infections. The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Biofilms
[google_news title=”” keyword=”biofilms” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Biocompatible microbots
- Health Headlines: Microbots deliver life-saving care
Wyatt Shields, IV, PhD, Chemical & Biological Engineer at University of Colorado, Boulder says, “Medical microrobots are, essentially, microscale devices. So, we’re talking devices five to 10 times ...
- Nanobots to the Rescue! The Future of Medical Microbots
They’re called microbots, also known as nanorobots ... The bots are made out of polymer materials that are biocompatible using a technology similar to 3D printing. They look like small rockets ...
- Nanobots to the Rescue! The Future of Medical Microbots
Sixty to 70 million Americans suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, and undergo endoscopies and colonoscopies, which show structural problems in the digestive tract. But taking it a step beyond ...
- Seaweed microbots could one day treat cancer, researcher says
Ozkale Edelmann said the microbots aren't ready to help cancer patients just yet... but that the technology is supporting research already underway. “The more we find out about these cells, the better ...
- Seaweed microbots could one day treat cancer, researcher says
Seaweed microbots could one day treat cancer, researcher says Posted: April 11, 2024 | Last updated: April 11, 2024 It is the first of its kind, its developers say: a microrobot which can navigate ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Biocompatible microbots
[google_news title=”” keyword=”biocompatible microbots” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]