Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

Today more than ever before, new alternatives to antibiotics are needed to control infectious diseases, asx000D
important pathogens are becoming increasingly resistant. Microorganisms can also grow in different ways thatx000D
makes them inherently tough to eradicate. Biofilms are a mode of growth where individual cells aggregate andx000D
become embedded in a resistant and protective extracellular matrix. Many livestock and human infectiousx000D
diseases can be thought of as biofilm-related and often different microorganisms can be part of the samex000D
biofilm. In a previous NSERC Engage grant, we worked with SterileCare Inc., a Canadian biotechnologyx000D
company that has developed a new antimicrobial agent. In the current project, we are proposing to develop ax000D
multi-species biofilm model that more closely approximates natural conditions. Modern bacterial taggingx000D
technology will be used to visualize and enumerate the biofilms, and we will test the killing ability of thex000D
Sterile Care product either administered alone or in concert with other non-antibiotic treatments. We willx000D
explore the mechanisms of action of the products and work to identify treatment conditions that will lead tox000D
improved intellectual property for the company. SterileCare Inc. hopes to further develop a powerful agent tox000D
treat both human and veterinary conditions associated with biofilms and multidrug resistant microorganisms,x000D
which falls in line with global Antibiotic Stewardship efforts.