Project leader: Ivan Mijakovic, Chalmers University of Technology
Project duration: 2021-2023
Participating countries: Sweden, Denmark, Norway
Funding from NordForsk: 14,920,000 NOK
Project website: GraMI
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most serious health threats of our time. It means that within a few decades we might no longer be able to treat bacterial infections with antibiotics. It is therefore crucial that new drugs are developed that can provide an alternative to current antibiotics. This has been the main goal of the Nordic research group Graphene-based drug delivery systems for treating MRSA infections.
Impact story
The GraMI project has come up with a possible strategy to fight multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA. Each partner in the project has developed a component that together form what could become a new treatment against antibiotic resistance.
“So, we have the first hydrophobic antibiotic, the metallic nanoparticles, silver or gold, which are also toxic to bacteria, and these graphene knives, which do mechanical damage to bacteria. With this three-pronged approach, we are trying to attack bacteria from different sides at the same time,” says Ivan Mijakovic.
The new antibacterial “weapon” has not yet been approved for use. The project’s researchers hope to have clinical trials in the future, so that it may eventually be approved and used for treatment.
Key Findings
- Working with the key components of our three-pronged approach, insoluble antibiotic candidates, metallic nanoparticles and graphene coatings, the GraMI researchers have increased the understanding of how these components work together.
- Key findings include an elucidation of the molecular mechanism of action of the potent antibiotic candidate MBL-AB01 developed by SINTEF, optimization of “green” synthesis of antibacterial metallic nanoparticles developed by the DTU, and the development of methods for vertical/axial coating of objects with graphene spikes. The researchers have established that antibacterial effectiveness of these components used together is larger than the sum of individual contributions.
- They also understood the reason for this synergistic killing effect. The antibiotic, nanoparticles and graphene simultaneously attack different targets within the bacterial cell. Graphene act as a “molecular knife”, cutting the bacterial membrane. Nanoparticles attack the cellular proteins/enzymes by causing oxidative damage. And the MBL-AB01 antibiotic blocks DNA replication. Because all these attacks happen simultaneously, bacterial cells have difficulties coping with them and find it difficult to develop resistance.
- Thus, in this project they have defined key principles of devising successful future strategies to fight bacterial infections. They have also discovered that new materials, such as the metal organic frameworks (Nobel Prize 2025), can also act as “molecular knives” and delivery platform for antibiotics.
Key outputs
“Biosensors Using Graphene for Infection Diagnostics”, a new EU MSCA Doctoral network project with 4.54 M€ budget, coordinated by Prof. Ivan Mijakovic. The project builds on findings related to bacterial infections and nanomaterials, and involves two partners, DTU and CTH. It will educate 15 PhD students, working at several European universities, private companies and hospitals.
Based on our success in developing methods for curbing and monitoring bacterial infections, project partners were contacted by Mölnlycke Health Care (MHC), a world leading producer and distributor of wound care products. MHC distributes its products to 68 nations, with 378 million individual MHC wound-care products sold every year. A new collaboration was established between MHC and CTH in 2024, leading to several joint project applications and projects co-funded by MHC. The ongoing and future work with MHC is centred around developing “smart dressings” that will improve the standard of care for chronic wounds.
One of the main outcomes of the project is the training of future leaders in science and innovation, capable of working in interdisciplinary settings. Within the project, four postdoctoral fellows and three junior researchers have been trained. Among them, several have moved to leading positions in academia and industry post-project, illustrating the empowering effect of interdisciplinary training they have received.