Home Department: Communication
Mentor: Paul Bollyky (Medicine - Infectious Diseases and Microbiology & Immunology)

“Optimization of Hydrogel-Mediated Bacteriophage Delivery to Fight Multi-Drug Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa”

Multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens (e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa) pose a critical threat to human health. Bacteriophage therapy has successfully treated P. aeruginosa lung infections via inhalation, but has so far failed to treat skin infections due to its delivery mechanism. To tackle this, the Bollyky lab and Chaudhuri lab have created prototype extended-release high-dosage phage hydrogels using dynamic covalent crosslinks to allow for local, sustained phage delivery. Katherine’s participation in this project will include continuing to explore hydrogel-mediated bacteriophage therapy in pursuit of a more efficient and viable delivery system.