I-Corps: Commercial Assessment And Development Of Anti-Fouling Composite Coating

<p>The flow-induced electromagnetic force (FI-EMF) technology is an antifouling technology that overcomes many disadvantages of existing antifouling materials and technologies. Unlike existing antifouling agents, this antifouling technology does not use antibiotics and therefore can be safely used not only for pharmaceutical and medical devices, but also for food processing, industrial and maritime applications. The FI-EMF technology will help reduce the incidence of bacterial infection without causing antibiotic resistance of the bacteria. This project will develop prototypes of antifouling urinary catheter, cardiac stent and coated materials so as to define the regulatory pathway for this technology. The proposed technology is innovative because it uses an alternative approach to antifouling products currently available. This technology could impact biomedical, clinical, food and ship building industries. From medical devices to industrial applications, this technology can be safely applied and promote human health by protecting people from bacterial infection. It is likely that the mechanism behind the FI-EMF antifouling technology will help the antifouling research community to better understand the process of bacterial and protein adhesion to medical devices and metal surfaces. The FI-EMF technology is expected to provide researchers in microbiology and biochemistry with valuable information on the relationship between microbes, chemical and electromagnetic effects in the surrounding environments.</p>