Abstract:
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) microbial pathogens have posed an enormous challenge in
healthcare settings, leading to major global mortality, encompassing nosocomial as well as
community-acquired infections. These drug-resistant pathogens are also capable of forming
sessile impenetrable superstructures called biofilms at the infection site, which further
compromises therapeutic efforts. These combined threats have posed an enormous challenge
to the clinical community for effective tackling of topical and wound infections. Alongside, a
major challenge for complicated systemic and topical infections has been the co-existence
and concurrent infections which involve multiple species of microbes. In addition to these
complexities in the context of topical infections, there remain additional obstacles such as
delayed healing, and over-action of innate host immunity. Additionally, when such wounds
arise from traumatic origins, they can also converge with rapid and uncontrollable blood loss,
often proving to be fatal. In this thesis dissertation, I have developed small molecular
therapeutics, and polymeric antimicrobial biomaterials to tackle these imperative challenges
of topical infections. These therapeutics and multifunctional materials were engineered and
investigated for their potency to address the complications concerning topical and wound
infections.
