The rise in antimicrobial resistance and the formation of biofilms make infections increasingly difficult to treat, enabling infections to reemerge as an untamed societal health issue. To overcome the emerging challenges, new and smarter antibacterials are needed. A promising approach is the use of nanomedicine, allowing specialized, multifunctional and highly controlled treatment, only where needed.

This PhD project focused on the creation of complex and multifunctional smart drugs, based on iron oxide nanoparticles. Drug activity, treatment location and duration could be controlled by external induction of nanoparticle specific heating, creating a promising new generation of smart pharmaceuticals, capable of overcoming the future challenges of complex infections.

The PhD study was completed at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Thursday, 4 June 2020 at 14.15
Place: Will be held online
Title of PhD thesis: Iron oxide nanoparticles for antibacterial treatment; Self-assembled, thermoresponsive and multifunctional drug delivery
Contact information: Cindy Dreier, e-mail: cd@inano.au.dk, tel.: +45 51888288
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Henny van der Mei, Faculty of medical sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
Professor Wafa Al-Jamal, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom
Professor Duncan Sutherland (chairman), Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor:
Associate Professor Rikke Louise Meyer, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor:
Professor Jørgen Kjems, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defense is public.

Due to the coronavirus situation, Aarhus University is physically closed. Therefore, the PhD thesis will not be available for reading at the offices of the PhD administration. Instead, interested parties may send an e-mail to gradschool.scitech@au.dk, and receive a digital copy of the PhD thesis. Please note, it may in certain cases be necessary to make an individual arrangement to read the PhD thesis.