As the threat of antibiotic resistance grows, a Swansea University academic has led the development of a novel technology capable of killing some of the most dangerous bacteria known to medicine—with over 99.9% effectiveness against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa).
The innovation centres on a heteromultivalent nanogel: a flexible particle made by crosslinking polymers and adding sugar residues (galactose and fucose) alongside antimicrobial peptides.
These sugars bind to specific proteins on the bacterial surface, guiding the nanogel precisely to its target. Once there, the peptides disrupt the bacterial membrane, leading to rapid and selective bacterial death—without harming surrounding healthy cells.
Advanced testing using flow cytometry, scanning electron microscopy, and confocal microscopy revealed:
- Over 99.99% of free-floating P. aeruginosa were killed.
- Over 99.9% of biofilm-coated P. aeruginosa—the tough, protective layer bacteria form—were inactivated within 12 hours.
The nanogel also showed strong antibacterial effects against other major threats, including Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
This technology offers a promising and versatile strategy for tackling biofilm-related and multidrug-resistant infections—two of the most persistent challenges in modern medicine.
Main corresponding author and research supervisor, Dr Sumati Bhatia , Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at Swansea University , said: "Leading this research, alongside our international partners, has been incredibly rewarding. It opens a new direction for using glycan-based polymer systems as a therapeutic strategy against pathogenic bacteria and could lay the foundation for a new class of antibacterial therapies against contagious bacterial infections.
This discovery is the result of a collaboration between Dr Bhatia and academics from Freie Universität Berlin , combining expertise in glycochemistry, polymer sciences, and nanotechnology.
Thanks to funding support from the German Science Foundation , Dr Bhatia is able to continue this work at Swansea University.
