Nanocarrier formulations of antimicrobial agents as treatment for odontogenic infections

Details

Odontogenic infections – those which occur within a tooth or in tissue closely surrounding a tooth, such as dental caries – affect approximately 2 billion people globally, including approximately 500 million children. They lead to pain, tooth loss, and a reduced quality of life. Additionally, nearly 50% of adults suffer from periodontal diseases, contributing to significant global healthcare costs estimated at over $400 billion annually. While antimicrobial treatment options are available, commonly used agents may suffer from poor solubility and limited bioavailability, and may induce cytotoxicity or teeth staining, presenting significant treatment challenges that can result in suboptimal therapeutic outcomes.

This project aims to develop and evaluate nanocarrier-based formulations of antimicrobial agents, for the effective treatment and prevention of odontogenic infections. It is anticipated that incorporation of antimicrobials into nanocarriers will improve antimicrobial stability and biocompatibility, allow for targeted/controlled delivery within the oral cavity, and ultimately result in enhanced antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity. The project will employ a range of formulation-related techniques to produce, optimise and characterise nanocarriers, and a variety of microbiological methods to culture bacteria and assess the antimicrobial activity of nanocarrier formulations.

Funding notes:

Applications are invited from self-funded or scholarship-funded students only. Applicants will be self-funded or will have applied for or secured funding from external organisations such as their government, employer etc. Overseas graduates require IELTs of 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in any band. Please find more information on entry requirements here: Pharmacy PhD / MSc (Res) – University of Birmingham

References:

Duangthip D and Chu CH (2020). Challenges in oral hygiene and oral health policy. Front. Oral. Health 1:575428

Sawant S et al. (2023). Evaluation of the effect of leaf development in Plectranthus amboinicus L. on antimicrobial activity and virulence factors o Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Staphylococcus aureus NCTC8325. Curr. Microbiol. 80:24.

Menina S et al. (2019). Bioinspired liposomes for oral delivery of colistin to combat intracellular infections by Salmonella enterica. Adv. Healthc. Mater. 8:17