Sensor seeks antimicrobial resistant bacterial strain

摘要

Researchers at Newcastle University are investigating the development of a technique to detect antimicrobial resistant bacterial strains using special polymers designed to bond to bacteria. The technique involves using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), also known as polymeric antibody-mimics because of their ability to bond to a target molecule. They are made from monomers that resemble amino acid structures and interact with bacteria in similar ways to antibodies, said Dr Marloes Peeters of the Advanced Materials group at Newcastle's School of Engineering, and principal investigator for the EPSRC-funded project. The polymers can be tailored to give them an affinity to bond to a target, such as a strain of bacteria that has developed resistance to antibiotics.