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Cleaning hands with light

02 Aug 2012

An E. coli outbreak in 2011 originating from a German sprout farm caused 45 deaths and a total of nearly 4000 cases in Germany alone. Image credit: iStockphoto

A quick way to kill methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other pathogens using a photosensitiser and visible light can be used to clean hands, say scientists in Germany.

The over-use of antibiotics has allowed many pathogens to develop resistances. The most well known is MRSA, which has now become a global problem, particularly in hospitals. Researchers are therefore constantly on the lookout for new ways to combat these microbes.

One way to kill bacteria that doesn’t involve drugs is antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT). PDT is a well-known technique for the targeted destruction of cells, typically used for tumour therapy. Light is used to activate a photosensitiser, creating reactive oxygen species that kill the surrounding cells. It can be applied selectively to bacteria when a positively charged photosensitiser is able to attach to the bacteria’s negatively charged cell wall.

Read the full article in Chemistry World

Link to journal article
Dirty hands: Photodynamic killing of human pathogens like EHEC, MRSA and Candida within seconds
A Eichner et al
Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2pp25164g

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Light speeds up new cell growth

24 Jul 2012

Laser scanning confocal microscopic micrograph of cells grown on polycaprolactone/(poly(3-hexylthiophene)

Scientists from Singapore have combined a photovoltaic polymer with a biocompatible polymer to make a nanofibre-based scaffold that can grow cells for skin regeneration. Although the biocompatible polymer – polycaprolactone – has been used before, the scientists say that including the photovoltaic polymer leads to a higher proliferation of cells on the scaffold.

‘Skin tissue-engineering involves the use of scaffolds that support cell attachment and proliferation, together with the formation of skin tissue-like structure to substitute the skin,’ say Molamma Prabhakaran, Seeram Ramakrishna and colleagues from the National University of Singapore, who carried out the research.

Read the full article in Chemistry World

Link to journal article
Electrospun photosensitive nanofibers: Potential for photocurrent therapy in skin regeneration
M P Prabhakaran et al
Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2pp25070e

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Which energy saving light bulb is best for sensitive skin?

13 Jun 2012

LEDs may provide a safe alternative for photosensitive individuals

UK researchers have compared the UV emissions given off by different types of energy saving light bulbs so that people with photosensitive skin can reduce their exposure to UV light. The team found that LED lamps give off the lowest UV levels.

The European Union has legislated that traditional incandescent bulbs should be phased out by the end of 2012 to be replaced by energy saving alternatives. All bulbs produce some UV light and there are guidelines on exposure limits for healthy individuals. However, no limits have been set for people with photosensitive skin conditions.

This lack of data inspired Leona Fenton and her colleagues from the University of Dundee to analyse the UV emissions from different types of energy saving light bulbs. ‘Many individuals are stockpiling incandescent lamps due to worry over there being no alternative that will not put their skin at risk,’ says Fenton.

Read the full article in Chemistry World

Link to journal article
Analysis of energy saving lamps for use by photosensitive individuals
L. Fenton, J. Ferguson and H. Moseley
Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2012, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C2PP25035G, Paper

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