Abstract
Bacteriophages, or simply phages, are highly prevalent viruses that target bacteria but are harmless to plants, animals, and humans. Due to this characteristic and their unique structure, they are suitable for genetic modification and can be transformed into vectors capable of delivering drugs selectively within an organism.
In PhageTarget, phages will be used as a nanotechnological platform for the selective ablation of bacterial cells through photo/sonotherapy.
To engineer bacteriophages, an orthogonal nanoarchitectural approach (genetic/chemical) will be employed. The viral vector will be genetically directed towards the desired bacterial species by expressing predatory biomolecules at the phage tip. The engineered phages will then be chemically functionalized by conjugating hundreds of sensitizers on the capsid's surface.
Compared to conventional antimicrobial therapies, the approach adopted in PhageTarget offers numerous advantages: i) elimination of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms; ii) therapeutic method that does not lead to the selection of resistant strains; iii) high spatial selectivity; iv) immediate antibacterial action; v) use of penetrating irradiation sources enabling treatment of deep infections; vi) selective eradication of specific bacterial species, even within complex microbiomes; vii) ability to penetrate biofilms.
Departmental scientific manager
Matteo Calvaresi (PI)
Partnership
IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna (IOR)
Istituto di scienze applicate e sistemi intelligenti “E.Caianiello” , Napoli (CNR-ISASI)