Current Research Projects
Next Generation Biologically Responsive (Macro)molecular Antimicrobials
This is a new flagship programme based on Edgar's recently awarded ARC Future Fellowship grant. The idea is to impart intelligence to antimicrobial molecules where they will be activated only in the presence of bacteria (enzymes) to confer improved mammalian cell biocompatibility. This will reduce toxicity issues and will help towards clinical translation. Work is currently in progress to develop the first platform system. Stay tuned!
Reviving 'Resisted' Traditional Antibiotics with (Macro)molecular Antimicrobials
Commercial antibiotics that are no longer susceptible to drug-resistant bacteria could be revived in the presence of membrane-active antimicrobial molecules via combination therapy. This is an important programme aimed at developing and understanding new combination strategies to combat drug-resistant bacteria as well as to preserve the use and lifespan of current antibiotics. Relevant papers from this programme include:
i) ACS Infect. Dis., 2022, 8, 1480
ii) ACS Infect. Dis., 2021, 7, 215 - review article
Smart Membrane-Disrupting (Macro)molecular Anticancer Agents
This is a new sister programme to the biologically responsive antimicrobials programme above. The technology here revolves around the same concept of smart activation targeted for anticancer applications, with the same overall goal of reducing the toxicity of the anticancer agents. Work is currently in progress to develop the first platform system. Stay tuned!
Antimicrobial Coatings and Materials for Fighting 'Superbugs'
This programme focuses on the development of coatings and materials that are capable of combating multidrug-resistant bacteria, specifically for applications in biomedical devices, textiles, wound dressing materials and water disinfection technologies. Strategies range from using non-leaching antimicrobial polymers to releasable nitric oxide and iodine molecules. Relevant papers from this programme include:
i) Appl. Surf. Sci., 2023, 641, 158422
ii) Polym. Chem., 2021, 12, 7038