Protein and Bacterial Biofouling on Medical Devices
This project studies how material surfaces affect protein and bacteria buildup on medical devices to develop strategies that prevent infections.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $82,764 per year plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Supports postdoctoral research on how material surface properties influence protein adsorption and bacterial biofouling on medical devices to develop infection prevention strategies.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree earned within the last 5 years; research conducted onsite at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD; application requires contacting a Research Adviser prior to applying.
Description
This fellowship opportunity, offered through the NRC Research Associateship Programs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), focuses on addressing bacterial infections associated with biomaterials used in medical devices such as dental fillings, orthopedic implants, contact lenses, and catheters. Upon implantation, medical devices are rapidly coated with a protein layer whose composition is influenced by the device’s surface properties. This protein layer modulates the biological response and can promote bacterial attachment and biofilm formation, leading to device failure.
The research aims to:
- Investigate how material surface properties affect protein adsorption and subsequent bacterial attachment.
- Develop new methods to measure and correlate surface properties, protein adsorption, bacterial adhesion, and biofilm growth.
- Apply modeling and simulation techniques to understand adhesive mechanisms at the molecular level and interactions between material degradation and biofilm development.
- Use improved understanding of surface-protein-bacteria interactions to create novel strategies to resist or control bacterial adhesion, thereby reducing infections.
Research will be conducted at NIST’s Material Measurement Laboratory, Biosystems and Biomaterials Division, located in Gaithersburg, MD.
