讲座题目: Engineering Biomimetic Nanostructured Materials:Combating Antimicrobial Resistance andBiomedical Applications
讲座时间: 2024年8月22日，9:30-11:30
讲座地点：曲江校区西五楼A420
讲座人：Prasad Yarlagadda 教授
Professor Prasad Yarlagadda worked in industry and university over 38 years in number of countries. He is currently Dean, Engineering at University of Southern Queensland. Prior to the current role, he was Professor in Smart Systems and Director: Medical Devices Research in Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. He had number of distinguished appointments in various universities in India, China and Australia and also fellow of various professional organisations across the world. In 2012 he received a prestigious great honour award for his outstanding and life time contribution to the discipline of manufacturing in world arena from materials division of polish academy of sciences. In 2016 Professor Yarlagadda was awarded order of Australia medal and included in queens birthday honours list in recognition of his outstanding service to engineering profession and Indian community in Queensland, Australia He received more than $18M funding for his research from large number of bio-manufacturing industry in Australia, India, Korea and Singapore. He has various national and international collaborators and published more than 675 papers with number of keynote speeches delivered across the world. In 2020 he was elected as Principal Fellow, Higher Education Academy, UK and also recipient researcher of the year 2020 by international association of advanced materials, Sweden. Ministry of science and technology, government of India appointed him as VAJRA professor to advise Indian government on medical devices. He is one of six people appointed for this role from all over the world and only one from Australia. He also had honorary roles in AP Government, Queensland government and Brisbane City Council.
讲座简介: Almost a decade ago, scientists discovered the antibacterial properties of certain insect surfaces, such as cicada and dragonfly wings and gecko skins. These surfaces, decorated with nanoscale needle-like features, exhibited a remarkable ability to lyse bacteria. This discovery emerged as a beacon of hope in the global battle against antimicrobial resistance, a looming threat to our existing arsenal of antibiotics and antiseptics, because unlike traditional antimicrobial agents, which are still capable of bacterial evolution, these nanostructures present a chemical-independent mechanism that makes them resistant to obsolescence. In response to this paradigm-shifting revelation, Professor Prasad Yarlagadda embarked on a journey in 2016 to explore the field of antibacterial nanostructures. His group ($8lG) had two goals: to unravel the intricacies of bacterial lysis through nanostructures, and to develop artificial counterparts that mimic nature's designs. While the first goal was pursued through theoretical analysis and computer simulations, the second was pursued through experimental investigations. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the group's focus shifted to the development of antiviral surfaces; investigations carried out during this period revealed promising antiviral properties of these nanostructures against pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2.
The culmination of our research efforts points to a new frontier in combating microbial threats and advancing medical and industrial practices. Our persistent efforts to harness the innate antibacterial and antiviral properties of nanostructures promise multiple benefits to society: in healthcare, our biomimetic nanostructures offer novel solutions to mitigate prosthetic joint infections and minimize reliance on antibiotics, thereby improving patient outcomes and quality of life. In addition, the development of antiviral surfaces has immense potential to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, particularly in high-risk environments such as hospitals and public spaces. Beyond healthcare, our research paves the way for innovative applications in industrial sectors, including the production of antimicrobial surfaces for marine vessels, food and agricultural products, promoting safer and more sustainable practices. In addition, our theoretical work deepens our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying bacterial lysis and nanomaterial interactions, laying the foundations for future advances in antimicrobial technology. Ultimately, our research efforts aim not only to address the pressing challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases, but also to catalyze transformative innovations with far-reaching societal impact.
