Chalmers impact award is intended to encourage researchers to actively work with utilization of their research for societal impact and to make these efforts visible within both academia and society in general.
Winners of Chalmers Impact Award 2024
Martin Andersson, a materials researcher at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers, has been awarded the Chalmers Impact Award for his work on antibacterial materials that can prevent infections without increasing the risk of antibiotic resistance.
The Chalmers Impact Award this year goes to the company Amferia, founded by Professor Martin Andersson and his former doctoral students Saba Atefyekta and Anand Kumar Rajasehkaran. After discovering that Anand Kumar Rajasehkaran's research on synthetic bones could be combined with Saba Atefyekta's work on antibacterial peptides, the work began. Together with Martin Andersson's extensive experience in materials research, the team started developing methods to apply the antibacterial substances to various surfaces, such as plasters.
"The aim was to develop new materials that can prevent infections without using antibiotics, thereby reducing the risk of bacteria developing antibiotic resistance," says Martin Andersson.
Mimics part of the immune system
To prevent bacterial colonisation in a wound, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are used, which are essentially the body's natural response to infections.
"In this way, we mimic a part of the immune system. We managed to stabilise the peptides by binding them to different surfaces, making them effective for a longer period," explains Martin Andersson, noting that AMPs can be quickly broken down by the body's own enzymes if applied directly to a wound.
Over 200 case studies have shown that the material reduces the risk of infection and speeds up wound healing. So far, it has been approved for veterinary care, where it is mainly used in surgeries and procedures. Amferia is now awaiting approval to launch the product for human care, possibly as early as the beginning of next year.
"We hope this can lead to early prevention and avoidance of infections, thus eliminating the need for antibiotics once an infection has already occurred. This also reduces the risk of developing antibiotic-resistant bacteria," says Martin Andersson.
In the long term, it may also be possible to develop consumer products, such as plasters, that can be purchased at pharmacies for minor wounds.
"This can be particularly practical when travelling, especially in countries with a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria," says Martin Andersson.
Important to reach out beyond academia
Martin Andersson sees the Chalmers Impact Award as an important recognition of the work in translating research into practical benefits.
"In addition to the great satisfaction of seeing one's research work used in practice, I think it is very important that we reach out with our results beyond the academic environment – especially when it comes to medical products. Therefore, I think it is good that Chalmers and other universities highlight good examples of utilisation, both to inspire and to show the benefits of research to society," he says.
Martin Andersson now serves as a scientific advisor at Amferia, while Anand Kumar Rajasehkaran and Saba Atefyekta act as CEO and sales manager, respectively.