Materials that confer antimicrobial activity or design features continue to gain popularity to combat the increasing and varied threats from microorganisms, e.g., replacing inert surfaces in hospitals. However, there are manychallenges to overcome to fully understand their potential usefulness and impact. During the online seminar series, challenges and opportunities for the future of antimicrobial materials will bediscussed. Please join the free webinars over Zoom, being
Priority questions exercise for Microbial Biofilms
An international, collaborative call to identify emerging issues in science, innovation and policy for the biofilm field. To date, there has not been an international and community-wide synthesis of key questions and priority research or innovation areas for the biofilm field. Such exercises can play a critical role in bridging the gap between the data generated by researchers, and the information needed by policymakers to make
Anti-Microbial Coating Innovations to prevent infectious disease: a consensus view from the AMiCI COST Action
Four years ago, when AMiCI was established, there was clear evidence that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) had emerged as a global health risk. While effective and prudent stewardship of antimicrobial products were being promoted as necessary for management and potential mitigation of this risk, there was increasing recognition of the possibilities that antimicrobial coatings (AMCs) presented. AMCs and some associated technologies were not necessarily new. For
Touch surfaces for the battle against microbes developed in European cooperation
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the healthcare sector is facing a totally new challenge. Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) from Finland leads a European-wide network, which develops touch surfaces for infection prevention. AMiCI ePlatform network will speed up the market entry of new antimicrobial surfaces.
Funds available for Short Term Scientific Missions and ICT Conference Grants to be finalised by the end of April!
Purpose of a Short-Term Scientific Missions STSM facilitates Researchers from COST Countries participating in COST Action [CA 15114] to go to an institution, organization or research center in another participating COST Country to foster collaboration and to perform empirical research. Participation of “Early Career Investigators” (ECI) in STSM is particularly encouraged. An applicant can be considered as being an ECI when the time that has
Training School on “Antimicrobial Coatings”
5-day Training School on Antimicrobial Coatings at Amsterdam UMC at the University of Amsterdam, April 8-12, 2019 The COST action CA15114 “AMiCI” organize a 5-day Training School on “Antimicrobial Coatings”. The objective of this training school is to provide Early Stage Researchers with scientific background as well as practical expertise in testing antimicrobial coatings and surfaces, trained by renowned material and infectious disease scientists. This training school
Environmental and Experimental Factors Affecting Efficacy Testing of Nonporous Plastic Antimicrobial Surfaces
Test methods for efficacy assessment of antimicrobial coatings are not modelled on a hospital environment, and instead use high humidity (>90%) high temperature (37 °C), and no airflow. Therefore, an inoculum will not dry, resulting in an antimicrobial surface exhibiting prolonged antimicrobial activity, as moisture is critical to activity. Liquids will dry quicker in a hospital ward, resulting in a reduced antimicrobial efficacy compared to
AMiCI on 10th Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries (Belgrade, Serbia)
The Symposium “Antimicrobial coatings in healthcare settings: efficiency versus safety” Infections and infectious diseases are considered a major challenge to human health in healthcare units worldwide. As antimicrobial materials (such as silver and copper) are inherently toxic, the application of (nano-enabled) antimicrobial surface coatings (AMCs) in healthcare settings may cause harm in addition to benefits. Indeed, in parallel to cutting down the spread of potentially
The AMiCI COST Action on 2017 ECSJ in Copenhagen
The AMiCI Action has been selected, as one of 10 COST Actions, to be presented on this year’s European Conference for Science Journalists (Copenhagen, 26-30 June), the largest gathering of science journalists in Europe in 2017. This is a great chance to communicate about the issue and how important collaborative science is in the society. Antimicrobial Coatings as Weapon Against Infectious Diseases HealthCare Associated Infections (HAI) are
COST multidisciplinary European research networks are key to FP9
On 15 June, the COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) published its position paper, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary, bottom-up, open and inclusive networks, pleading for sufficient funding post Horizon 2020. Investment in research and innovation is key for the EU to realise its ambition of becoming a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy and to contribute to the well-being of society. Therefore, EU policy makers