Oxoid has awarded the Best Project in Microbiology prize to a University of Brighton student who researched the use of bacteriophage coatings for preventing microbial colonisation on medical devices.
Kilbride, from the university's School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, investigated different methods for immobilising phage K, with a view to developing a coating that would be effective against Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 10788.
She studied the retention of the bacteriophage when dried onto the surface of untreated and silanised glass.
She then incorporated the bacteriophage into a hydrogel coating and investigated whether the coating was effective at preventing or inhibiting the growth of bacteria on its surface.
Kilbride concluded it was possible to create a bacteriophage coating that can prevent microbial colonisation at sufficiently high concentrations of bacteriophage.
She also concluded that the development of a suitable bacteriophage coating could potentially reduce and prevent the growth of bacteria in vivo.
Kilbride was presented with the Oxoid Prize for the Best Project in Microbiology (2008) certificate and a cheque for GBP150 prior to the university's graduation ceremony.
