Bacterial biofilm control on materials by tuning elasticity, hydration, mobility & charge – BABE

We propose a new concept of coating, free of bactericidal agent, intended to control bacterial biofilms, responsible for infections of biomaterials and biomedical devices. The approach is based on the fact (i) that certain mechanical surface characteristics of the materials are detrimental to the adhesion of bacteria and the development of biofilms, and (ii) that some polymers are able to disaggregate pili fibrils used by most of the pathogens to attach to surfaces. This project aims at depositing on the surface of all types of biomaterials, by a photoinduced process and in a single step, a polymer film preventing the formation of biofilms. This property will result from a synergistic effect between two types of action: the passive, bacteria-repellent action resulting from the adequate combination of the elasticity, hydration, mobility of the interface, with the bioactive, anti-pili action of the surface charge of the material. To target the best combination of surface properties capable of reducing colonization in the long term, we will determine whether and how bacterial cells sense, react and adapt to the characteristics of the polymer coating. We will select the most promising combinations for coatings with and without hydration to meet the needs of realistic and relevant situations, medical devices being indeed made of either non-hydrated or hydrated materials (catheters, hydrogel dressings or contact lens…). Quite insensitive to ageing, these coatings will constitute a durable and flexible way of biofilm-preventive action, free of antimicrobials. The transfer to an industrial context of the photoinduced method of deposition of the coatings, which was preferred to facilitate their future and large scale exploitation, will be studied at the ultimate stage of the BABE project.