Controlling hospital-acquired infections by targeting
bacterial persistence
Dacheng Ren (Syracuse University), Jing An (SUNY-Upstate), Christopher Nomura
(SUNY-ESF), Timothy Endy (SUNY-Upstate), Waleed Javaid (VA, SUNY-Upstate)
ABSTRACT
Nosocomial infections are a serious problem in healthcare facilities due to compromised
immunity among hospitalized patients, increased prevalence of drug resistant bacteria, and
existence of materials and equipment that are vulnerable to microbial adhesion but difficult to
sterilize. Microbes are well known to attach to virtually all surfaces and persist for days to
months, severing as an important source of nosocomial infections. In the presence of moisture
and nutrients, the attached cells can also grow and form biofilms, which are multicellular
structures formed by attached microbes comprised of a polysaccharide matrix secreted by
bound cells. The current methods for decontamination involve toxic and corrosive chemicals.
They are also ineffective in killing persister cells (a metabolically inactive subpopulation) and
biofilms since these cells are up to 1000 times more resistant to antimicrobials compared to
normal planktonic cells.
In this project, we investigated the effects of environmental and host factors on bacterial
persistence and evaluated the efficacy of brominated furanones, a group of novel biofilm and
persister inhibitors, in bacterial control. The results showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa
persister formation increases over time when the cells are attached on a surface in the absence
of nutrient. We also found that unknown factors in fatal bovine serum and synthetic brominated
furanones can reduce P. aerugionsa persistence. Furthermore, nanoparticles were synthesized
and found to reduce P. aerugionsa persistence through controlled release of the brominated
furanone BF8. In addition to the research findings, this award also helped the team to obtain
external funding from the Alfred P. Sloan foundation for a postdoc co-advised by Ren and
Waleed.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Dacheng Ren received his BS in Applied Chemistry with a minor in Electrical Engineering
from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, in 1996, MS in Chemical Engineering from Tianjin
University, China, in 1999, and PhD in Chemical Engineering from University of Connecticut in
2003. After finishing postdoctoral training at Cornell University, he joined Syracuse University in
2006. Currently, he is an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical
Engineering.
Dr. Ren received an Early Career Translational Research Award in Biomedical. Engineering
from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation in 2009, a NSF CAREER award in 2011, and a Faculty
Excellence award from Syracuse University in 2014. He was named the College Technology
Educator of the Year by the Technology Alliance of Central New York in 2010. Dr. Ren currently
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8 Annual NYS Biotechnology Symposium
- May 19 & 20, 2016 -
has 48 journal publications with over 2300 citations and an H index of25, 7 issued patents, and
research suppo1ts from NSF, NIH, EPA, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan
Foundation, and industrial sponsors. Dr. Ren's research interests include the genetic basis of
bacterial multidrug resistance, biofilm control through surface engineering and bioelectric
effects, development of novel biofilm and persister inhibitors, as well as biofilm engineering for
biofuel production.
th
8 Annual NYS Biotechnology Symposium
- May 19 & 20, 2016 -