Project

Biomolecules of the sea for environmental remediation and healthcare

Acronym
BioCare
Code
41N04512
Duration
01 July 2012 → 30 September 2014
Funding
European funding: various
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry
    • Molecular and cell biology
    • Plant biology
    • Systems biology
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Biophysics
    • Molecular and cell biology
    • Biophysics
    • Molecular and cell biology
    • Biophysics
    • Molecular and cell biology
Keywords
marine biomolecules
 
Project description

The scientific objectives of Biocare marine are to:



Discover and functionalise new antimicrobial agents isolated from the marine environment to help combat the growing threat of broad spectrum antibiotic resistant bacterial infections.

Construct novel wound dressings and tissue regeneration scaffolds using marine biomolecules that hold great promise for the treatment of chronic wounds, and for the remodeling and reconstruction of skin in burns victims.

Utilise the specialised polysaccharides produced by marine bacteria to construct heavy metal capture-systems. Toxic heavy metals cause environmental and health damage and present a significant threat to human wellbeing. By developing ways to capture and remove these metals (as marine creatures do) we can help address these threats.