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Antibiotic Nanoparticle Formulations are Effective Treatments for Pneumococcal Infection

Undergraduate #108
Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: Microbiology/Immunology/Virology

Drayvon Howard - Alabama State University
Co-Author(s): Flamoun Johnson, Veolanda A. Peoples, and Mamie T. Coats, Alabama State University



Streptococcus pneumoniae is a gram positive bacteria that is commonly found asymptomatically in the nasopharynx of healthy adults and children. The migration of this bacterium to other organs causes many illnesses such as pneumonia, ear and sinus infections, and meningitis. Due to the bacterium’s highly recombinant nature and its gene based antibiotic resistance, the current antibiotic treatments are quickly losing their effectiveness. Nanoparticles have been proven useful in the killing of pathogenic bacteria and provide many advantages over the common capsule/pill method for disbursement of antibiotics. Our research uses poly lactic-co-glycolic (PLGA) nanoparticles prepared by emulsification-diffusion and measuring between 150-200nm as a delivery method for clindamycin (PLGA-Clin). We will test the PLGA nanoparticles to determine how clindamycin is released over time as well as how S. pneumoniae behaves in the presence of the nanoparticles. We anticipate a steady release of the drug over 24 hours and that the bacteria will experience more rapid killing the presence of PLGA-Clin when compared to similar doses of the antibiotic alone. This will be due to the combined antibacterial effect of the PLGA and antibiotic.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): This work was supported by US Dept. of Education, The Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) (P120A150008) to Dr. Komal Vig (PD.).

Faculty Advisor: M. Coats, mcoats@alasu.edu

Role: I was responsible for testing the absorbance of the clindamycin and PLGA-Clin., the creation of PLGA nano particles using the emulsification-diffusion method, Testing the disbursement of Clin. from the nano particles over set time frames. Testing if the nano particle had any affect on the S. pneumoniae bacterium.

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.

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