S’pore scientists develop ‘nano-nets’ to trap, kill bacteria amid growing antibiotic resistance

With bacteria becoming increasingly resistant to even the strongest antibiotics, scientists around the world have been urgently trying to develop new drugs to prevent this “silent pandemic” from worsening.

Now, a team of 11 researchers has come up with a different approach to tackle the problem of antibiotic resistance: using microscopic nets to trap and kill bacteria in the body.

The researchers have successfully used these “nano-nets”, which are made out of molecules known as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), to tackle E. coli and S. aureus in lab tests. These bacteria cause food poisoning and boils respectively, and have been found to be resistant to even the most potent antibiotics available today.

The nano-nets developed by the team mimic a natural body response to pathogens at various sites such as the small intestine, urinary tract and blood vessels.