Research Projects

Bacterial infections in biomedical implants are a global issue, leading to implant failure, surgery, and re-implantation. Current antibiotics are ineffective due to their limited ability to reach damaged tissue, bacterial MDR development, and toxic side effects. Alternative biomaterials surface engineering methodologies, such as inorganic nanomaterials, antibiotics, and antimicrobial peptides, have been developed but suffer from target specificity, sustained release, and lack of intrinsic bactericidal action. A proposed project aims to develop a novel coating formulation using natural polyphenol tannic acid, engineered spider silk protein, and 2D-nanomaterial MXenes for synergistic triple-mode antibacterial action. The formulation will be extended to the scaffold using electrospinning approaches, and biofilm formation and antimicrobial characteristics will be studied using various assays. The goal is to develop a universal low-cost coating technology for various medical substrates, including polymer, metal, and ceramic materials.