Nanobubbles for disinfection of nosocomial pathogens

This exploratory project investigates the applications of nanobubble technology in healthcare. We aim to collect supporting data for extramural proposals to NSF, NIH and DoD in disinfection/decay of opportunistic and multi-drug resistant microorganisms in healthcare settings. We will determine the nanobubble impact on biofilm forming methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multi-drug resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas. Further, we will investigate the effect of nanobubbles on burn unit environment swab samples and microorganism survival after treatment.
This project brings together two engineers from the Price College of Engineering and two surgeons from the School of Medicine and their students to investigate the uses of nanobubbles that hold great promise for disinfection and difficult wound healing as in burn victims. The project aligns with the University’s strategic goals by (1) combining excellence in medicine and engineering through a nascent collaboration, (2) inclusion of a diverse team with three women of physicians and engineer and two of whom are African Americans, (3) student participation, and (4) an innovative approach to address nosocomial pathogens. The reactive oxygen species at the nanobubble interface are created by a novel process recently invented by the team PI under the auspices of the Air Force and the DOI with patents being pursued by the University’s PIVOT office.

Budget uses:
Undergraduate $17 per hour, 20 hours per week for 8 weeks = $3,000 (incl. benefits)
Materials and supplies = 12,000 (petri plates, growth media, tubing for pump for biofilm chamber, PPE, disinfectants, antibiotics, sequencing to identify changes in the resistance genes)
ATP tester & test strips: $4,500
Nanobubble system modification & accessories: $6,500
Core facilities: confocal microscope/fluorescence microscopy & reagents for biofilm imagery; cell labeling and fluorescent in-situ hybridization: $4,000