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Add to Calendar 2019-12-20 10:00:00 2019-12-20 11:00:00 Iris L. Batalha | 10th Conference Cycle Iris L. Batalha, Nanoscience Centre, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge & Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge   Antibiotic-polymer conjugate nanoparticles to treat mycobacterial infections   Host: Ana Pina, UCIBIO - FCT NOVA   Abstract: Tuberculosis, also referred to ‘white plague’ or ‘consumption’, is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that kills around 1.8 million people every year 1. Being primarily a pulmonary pathogen, the bacteria enters the respiratory tract via inhalation and is readily phagocytosed by alveolar macrophages. In the lungs, the pathogen can either be eliminated by the immune system or persist in a quiescent (latent TB) or active state 2. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately one quarter of the world population is infected with latent TB and 10 % of those will develop active disease 3. The discovery of antibiotics in the 40s brought hope for the eradication of the disease, but M. tuberculosis showed ability to develop drug resistance through genetic mutations, not to mention that most first line antibiotics only target replicating bacteria 1,2. Inefficient delivery of drugs to the target site is one of the main drivers of emergence of multi- and extensive drug resistance, as bacilli are exposed to subminimal inhibitory concentrations of drugs. Furthermore, patients must endure long treatments with multiple toxic antibiotics that have numerous side effects, which undermines patient compliance and ultimately plays a role in the rise of resistant strains. Nanoparticle-based antibiotics provide a viable solution by providing targeted drug release and reducing the dosing frequency and the overall systemic toxicity. Our group has successfully produced dual-drug tunable nanoparticle-based antibiotics, which showed increased efficacy in a zebrafish larval model when compared to free drugs at the same concentration. In addition, nanoparticles were able to efficiently penetrate mycobacterial cords and granulomatous lesions – shielded regions of difficult access by free drugs, improving the therapeutic effect 4.    1. Griffiths, G. et al. Nanobead-based interventions for the treatment and prevention of tuberculosis. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 8, 827-834, doi:10.1038/nrmicro2437 (2010). 2. Pai, M. et al. Tuberculosis. Nat. Rev. Dis. Primers 2, 16076, doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.76 (2016). 3. Global tuberculosis report 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. 4. Batalha, I.L. et al. Polymerized antibiotic nanoparticles as a novel treatment for mycobacterial infections”, Journal of Controlled Release, 314, 116–124 (2019).     Bio: Iris L. Batalha is currently a joint Research Associate at the Nanoscience Centre and Molecular Immunity Unity, University of Cambridge. She obtained her BSc in Applied Chemistry and MSc in Biotechnology at the Department of Chemistry, FCT, UNL. She joined Prof. Cecília Roque group for her MSc and PhD, which focused on the development of ligand-receptor affinity systems for protein and peptide purification. She received her PhD degree in Bioengineering Systems from the MIT-Portugal program in 2014. From 2014 to 2017, she worked at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, and the biopharmaceutical company MedImmune/Astrazeneca, followed by a brief experience as a healthcare/pharmaceutical consultant. In 2018, she was appointed as a Research Associate at Peterhouse College in Cambridge, while simultaneously becoming a Course Director at the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, where she teaches healthcare nanobiotechnology for the International Summer Program. She has a keen interest in teaching, having supervised Chemistry, Bioprocessing and Biotechnology courses for 19 University of Cambridge Colleges, and she is active in public engagement. Her research interests and expertise lie on medical and pharmaceutical research and development, particularly in the fields of nanobiotechnology, bio-inspired materials, downstream processing, formulation and drug delivery.  Room 217D, Edifício Departamental - FCT NOVA UCIBIO info@simbiose.com Europe/Lisbon public
Iris Batalha

Iris L. Batalha, Nanoscience Centre, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge & Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge

 

Antibiotic-polymer conjugate nanoparticles to treat mycobacterial infections

 

Host: Ana Pina, UCIBIO - FCT NOVA

 

Abstract: Tuberculosis, also referred to ‘white plague’ or ‘consumption’, is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that kills around 1.8 million people every year 1. Being primarily a pulmonary pathogen, the bacteria enters the respiratory tract via inhalation and is readily phagocytosed by alveolar macrophages. In the lungs, the pathogen can either be eliminated by the immune system or persist in a quiescent (latent TB) or active state 2. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately one quarter of the world population is infected with latent TB and 10 % of those will develop active disease 3. The discovery of antibiotics in the 40s brought hope for the eradication of the disease, but M. tuberculosis showed ability to develop drug resistance through genetic mutations, not to mention that most first line antibiotics only target replicating bacteria 1,2.

Inefficient delivery of drugs to the target site is one of the main drivers of emergence of multi- and extensive drug resistance, as bacilli are exposed to subminimal inhibitory concentrations of drugs. Furthermore, patients must endure long treatments with multiple toxic antibiotics that have numerous side effects, which undermines patient compliance and ultimately plays a role in the rise of resistant strains. Nanoparticle-based antibiotics provide a viable solution by providing targeted drug release and reducing the dosing frequency and the overall systemic toxicity. Our group has successfully produced dual-drug tunable nanoparticle-based antibiotics, which showed increased efficacy in a zebrafish larval model when compared to free drugs at the same concentration. In addition, nanoparticles were able to efficiently penetrate mycobacterial cords and granulomatous lesions – shielded regions of difficult access by free drugs, improving the therapeutic effect 4. 

 

1. Griffiths, G. et al. Nanobead-based interventions for the treatment and prevention of tuberculosis. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 8, 827-834, doi:10.1038/nrmicro2437 (2010).

2. Pai, M. et al. Tuberculosis. Nat. Rev. Dis. Primers 2, 16076, doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.76 (2016).

3. Global tuberculosis report 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

4. Batalha, I.L. et al. Polymerized antibiotic nanoparticles as a novel treatment for mycobacterial infections”, Journal of Controlled Release, 314, 116–124 (2019).

 

 

Bio: Iris L. Batalha is currently a joint Research Associate at the Nanoscience Centre and Molecular Immunity Unity, University of Cambridge. She obtained her BSc in Applied Chemistry and MSc in Biotechnology at the Department of Chemistry, FCT, UNL. She joined Prof. Cecília Roque group for her MSc and PhD, which focused on the development of ligand-receptor affinity systems for protein and peptide purification. She received her PhD degree in Bioengineering Systems from the MIT-Portugal program in 2014. From 2014 to 2017, she worked at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, and the biopharmaceutical company MedImmune/Astrazeneca, followed by a brief experience as a healthcare/pharmaceutical consultant. In 2018, she was appointed as a Research Associate at Peterhouse College in Cambridge, while simultaneously becoming a Course Director at the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, where she teaches healthcare nanobiotechnology for the International Summer Program. She has a keen interest in teaching, having supervised Chemistry, Bioprocessing and Biotechnology courses for 19 University of Cambridge Colleges, and she is active in public engagement. Her research interests and expertise lie on medical and pharmaceutical research and development, particularly in the fields of nanobiotechnology, bio-inspired materials, downstream processing, formulation and drug delivery. 

Iris L. Batalha | 10th Conference Cycle