title: Nanoparticle-Based Antimicrobials: Surface Functionality is Critical.
abstract: Bacterial infections cause 300 million cases of severe illness each year worldwide. Rapidly accelerating drug resistance further exacerbates this threat to human health. While dispersed (planktonic) bacteria represent a therapeutic challenge, bacterial biofilms present major hurdles for both diagnosis and treatment. Nanoparticles have emerged recently as tools for fighting drug-resistant planktonic bacteria and biofilms. In this review, we present the use of nanoparticles as active antimicrobial agents and drug delivery vehicles for antibacterial therapeutics. We further focus on how surface functionality of nanomaterials can be used to target both planktonic bacteria and biofilms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, USA.
authors.forename: Akash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Landis
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, USA.
authors.forename: Vincent M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Rotello
keywords: Antimicrobials; antibacterial; bacteria; biofilms; nanoparticles