UK-India Centre for Advanced Technology for Minimising the indiscriminate use of

Lead Research Organisation: University of Bradford
Department Name: Faculty of Life Sciences

Abstract

Resistance to antibiotics is becoming one of the most important challenges of our age. A number of challenges exist if we are to avoid decent into a post-antibiotic age, including development of: new antibiotics; new diagnostics and improved delivery systems. The UK-India Centre for Advanced Technology for Minimising the indiscriminate use of Antibiotics (UKICAT-MA) will establish materials for both detection, at the point-of-care, of ocular infections and the targeted delivery of antibiotics to infected sites in the eye. UKICAT-MA will also promote the use of these technologies in other infective diseases. The Centre involves a multidisciplinary team from the University of Sheffield (Polymer Chemistry, Clinical and Mechanistic Microbiology and LV Prasad Ophthalmology). Much of the work is based around the idea that certain materials respond to bacteria by changing state on binding to bacteria. These conformational changes are then either monitored to provide a signal of the presence of the bacteria or they provide a basis for targeting antibiotics to bacteria whilst reducing effects on surrounding tissues. UKICAT-MA will develop these smart materials to produce contact lenses that give colourimetric indications of bacterial infections and systems for local delivery of therapeutics to infected ocular tissues. The Centre involves basic science activities, which are aimed at understanding the binding interactions that are key aspects of these materials, materials development and development of manufacturing strategies through to clinical trials. Close collaborative working between the UK and India will facilitate this ambitious programme and each partner brings important expertise to progress these technologies efficiently and quickly to the clinic. UKICAT-MA will also look to collaborate with new partners: industrial, clinical and scientific with expertise of infections other than in eyes. To facilitate these further researches we will run a series of workshops in both India and the UK.

Publications

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Cox-Nowak K (2017) Poly( n -butyl methacrylate) with primary amine end groups for supporting cell adhesion and proliferation of renal epithelial cells in International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials

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Mckenzie A (2017) Core (Polystyrene)-Shell [Poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)] Particles. in ACS applied materials & interfaces

 
Description Science awareness including presentation at the Otley Science Festival. Collaborative work with 5D Healthcare Ltd, Ocutec Ltd and Behring Inc.
First Year Of Impact 2022
Sector Healthcare
Impact Types Societal

 
Description DOSA - Diagnostics for One Health and User Driven Solutions for AMR
Amount £1,626,049 (GBP)
Funding ID ES/S000208/1 
Organisation Economic and Social Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 07/2018 
End 07/2022
 
Description Research
Amount £100,000 (GBP)
Funding ID 103988 
Organisation Innova UK 
Sector Private
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2018 
End 03/2021
 
Description 2nd MRC/DBT Workshop UK-India Centre for Advanced Technologies-Minimising the indiscriminate use of Antibiotics (UKICAT-MA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The purpose of this workshop was to promote interdisciplinary learning and collaborations between
UK and India in the area of bacteria and wounds, particularly when bacteria are increasingly antibiotic
resistant.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
URL https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/handle/10454/8770
 
Description Anti-micribial resistance symposium: pre symposium show case at ICCAR 2 IIT Kharagpur 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This symposium involved participants from this project and from the DOSA project (ESRC). Early stage researchers from the UK also presented. The 1 day meeting took place prior to an international symposium in India on antimicrobial resistance and showcased new UK-India technologies for combating antimicrobial resistance.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description MRC/DBT Workshop UK-India Centre for Advanced Technologies-Minimising the indiscriminate use of Antibiotics (UKICAT-MA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact On 14/15th March 2016 we held a MRC/DBT funded workshop on the theme of
Materials to Combat Antibiotic Resistance. The workshop was part of a continuing
series of events that are part of the work of UK-India Centre for Advanced
Technologies-Minimising the indiscriminate use of Antibiotics (UKICAT-MA). The
following is the collection of presentations and the results of discussions highlighting
key themes for future work by this group.
Combating antibiotic resistance is perhaps the biggest issue facing the global
community in the 21st century and no other area, with the exception perhaps of
nuclear conflict, has the capacity to significantly reduce living standards and mortality
rates. Key objectives identified by WHO1 in this area among five key aspects,
include:
Objective 4-to optimize the use of antimicrobial agents
Objective 5-new medicines, diagnostic tools, vaccines and other interventions
Our aims in this series of workshops are to provide an Indo-UK forum for:
discussions of our advances in providing technologies to address these objectives;
facilitate the interface between UK and Indian clinicians, materials and biological
scientists and to identify key areas for new projects. An important aspect of the work
in a global context is that by combining the UK and Indian community and clinical
experiences we cover most of the scenarios that the global population might expect to
encounter
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
URL http://hdl.handle.net/10454/8622
 
Description UK-India Centre for Advanced Technology for Minimizing Indiscriminate Use of Antibiotics:"Exploring biology of antibiotic resistance and potential targets for early diagnosis and effective management of infectious diseases" 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact During January 15th - 17th, 2017 a group of scientists met, under the auspices of the UK-India Centre for Advanced Technology for Minimizing Indiscriminate Use of Antibiotics, to discuss the further developments and potential solutions to antimicrobial resistance. This was the third work shop under this funding stream held in Hyderabad. The presentations and outcomes of the workshop are released here. Key out comes included the need to address improved treatment and detection of TB, delivery of antimicrobial peptides, potential strategies for combating beta-lactam resistance.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/handle/10454/12060