IBM Creates Weapon to Destroy Drug-Resistant Bacteria

IBM Creates Weapon to Destroy Drug-Resistant Bacteria

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Biofilms — groups of microorganisms that adhere to a surface — can be a real problem. When bacteria form a biofilm, it's difficult to treat since the cells are so densely packed. But now IBM has created a new substance that can break through biofilms such as plaque and drug-resistant bacteria, killing them while not harming humans.

IBM Research and the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology created a antimicrobial hydrogel — a highly absorbent substance made from synthetic polymers — that annihilates bacterial biofilms on contact. IBM claims the hydrogel is 100% efficient in destroying biofilms. The gel forms spontaneously when heated to body temperature. It's also biodegradable and non-toxic.

The image below demonstrates the gel's effectiveness. According to IBM, on the left is a mature and healthy biofilm. The photo on the right shows the same biofilm after the hydrogel is applied. IBM says the small portion of cells that remain have drastically disrupted membrane, preventing resistance.

The hydrogel has clear applications in medicine, and IBM says it could be a tool hospital workers use to reduce health hazards. For example, biofilms build up on catheters quickly, so they need to be changed frequently. A catheter treated with the hydrogel, however, would prevent the biofilm from forming, reducing the risk of infection and letting the hospital change it less often.

Hospitals are notorious for being breeding grounds for infection, and biofilms are a contributing factor. The discovery could potentially put a dent in hospital-acquired infections, which the US Department of Health and Human Services says is one of the top five causes of death in the country.

SEE ALSO: IBM Unveils Groundbreaking Technology to Reduce Traffic Jams on the Road

IBM says the it helped create the hydrogel through processes that were originally used in semiconductor manufacturing. The company's "nanomedicine" program began four years ago and looks for ways to apply IBM's decades of research (and massive patent portfolio) to improve medicine.

Image courtesy of the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology

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