Studying bacteria that cause heart device infections

Structural analysis of SasC, a repetitive staphylococcal biofilm-forming protein implicated in antibiotic resistance (Ms Lotte van Beek)

Devices such as blood vessel catheters and pacemakers have revolutionised how we treat people with heart and circulatory disease. But these devices can become infected by bacterial biofilms, which are groups of bacteria that clump together on the device surface. Biofilm infections are difficult to treat - the biofilm physically protects the bacteria from antibiotics and the immune system. Also, bacteria within a biofilm exchange genes that can make the bacteria resistant to antibiotics. When a device becomes infected, sometimes the only way to treat the infection is to remove the device. Preventing or disrupting biofilm formation might make currently available antibiotics more effective and avoid the need to remove the device. Professor Jennifer Potts from the University of York has been awarded a PhD studentship to train a student to study a bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus, which often causes device infections. The successful applicant will study the structure of a protein called SasC that is found on the surface of the bacterium, which enables bacteria to stick together in biofilms and is important in antibiotic resistance. This exciting research may reveal a new way to prevent or disrupt infections to maximise the benefits that heart devices bring to heart patients.