Staff are invited to take part in a one day workshop which will bring together industry and academic experts to discuss the current issues and future priorities in preventing antibacterial infection.
The event, N8 Industry Innovation Forum: Surface Modification to Prevent Antimicrobial Infection is on Monday 28 May.
Discussions will focus on how to ensure high levels of hygiene in surfaces – a topic relevant to all of the University’s key research themes, and of particular interest to those within the healthcare, pharmaceuticals and food & drink industries.
There are numerous financial and health costs associated with unwanted microbial colonisation of surfaces. Conventional antimicrobial strategies rely on high levels of hygiene coupled with the use of accepted antimicrobial agents such as gels and liquid cleaning products or the incorporation of antimicrobials into the bulk of textiles and plastics which migrate to the surface within time.
One alternative approach is to modify the surfaces at the molecular, nano- and micro-level to inhibit or prevent the initial colonisation.
Hosted by the University of Liverpool, this N8 Industry Forum provides the opportunity for the eight Northern research-intensive Universities, alongside industry, to discuss current issues faced.
Discussions will be prompted by keynote industry speakers from Lonza Microbial Control, Smith & Nephew, DePuy Orthopaedics Worldwide and Unilever, as well as delegates themselves, who will have the chance to shape the discussion of the event throughout the day.