IBM Says it has Tool to Kill Deadly Drug-Resistant Superbugs
Working with the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Big Blue has come up with a “hydrogel” that can beat back the bacteria that cause many deadly infections.
A new antimicrobial hydrogel created by IBM Research and the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology is meant to attack and kill drug-resistant superbugs like MRSA. This is a look at MRSA ‘biofilm’ before and after being hit with the hydrogel.
(Credit: IBM Research)
Hospital-acquired infections have become a major killer in the United States, mainly because the drug-resistant “superbugs” that cause them have proven nearly impossible to stop.
But now IBM and the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology say they have come up with what they’re calling an antimicrobial hydrogel that can successfully fight the superbugs that are behind killers like MRSA.
In an announcement today, IBM Research and its partner on the project said that their antimicrobial hydrogel was designed to cut through diseased biofilms and almost instantly kill off drug-resistant bacteria. The collaborators on the project said that the the synthetic drug is meant for combating the growing infection problems plaguing American hospitals, because it is non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable.
Normally, IBM said in its announcement, antimicrobials are used in standard household cleaners like alcohol and bleach. But those substances haven’t proved effective in fighting deadly skin infections like MRSA because antibiotics are becoming less effective and standard disinfectants aren’t meant for biological situations.
But the new hydrogel was created to be used in creams and other therapeutics that are meant for healing. The hydrogel can be applied to contaminated surfaces, and its positive charge instantly attracts the microbial membranes’ negative charge. The bacteria is then meant to be killed by what IBM termed membrane disruption, a step that staves off any kind of resistance to the hydrogel.
Although it’s not yet clear how this advancement will make its way into actual hospital and other relevant settings, research like this is meant to jump-start the commercial development of actual drugs and other therapies.
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57565551-76/ibm-says-it-has-tool-to-kill-deadly-drug-resistant-superbugs/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=title
Related Items
Google didn't announce the latest version of Android at I/O, their annual developer conference, leaving our devices feeling sad and unloved. Android 4.3 may still be on the way soon, but for now, here's what we wish they announced—and how you can get many of these fe... Read More
When it comes to mobile gaming, the vast majority of gamers aren’t choosing a dedicated mobile gaming console, they are using smartphones and tablets. It’s also no surprise when you step back and consider that the Android ecosystem is by far large the most popular... Read More
(Reuters) - Overtaking Apple Inc as the world's leading maker of smartphones has stretched Samsung Electronics Co's in-house supply lines, and the South Korean firm is now courting some of its rival's main parts suppliers. After costly courtroom battles over techno... Read More
(Reuters) - Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook will propose tax changes that would encourage firms to bring home more of their offshore funds when he faces congressional queries next Tuesday over his company's overseas cash holdings and tax bills, the Washington Post reported. ... Read More
