Project would use gas plasma to kill superbugs

IRISH scientists examining Ethe potential commercial use of gas plasma to eliminate superbug MRSA and other healthcare-associated infections have been given a major funding boost.

Their research project is one of four to be supported by the Health Research Board (HRB) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).

Under the Translational Research Award programme, the HRB and SFI will co-fund the research group as part of a joint investment of €3 million.

Professor Hilary Humphreys, head of clinical microbiology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, said healthcare-associated infections affect up to 10% of patients admitted to hospital.

He and Dr Stephen Daniels, executive director of the National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology at Dublin University, are looking at using gas plasma to improve hospital hygiene because it was effective, safe and feasible.

He said current decontamination methods, such as chemical disinfectants, were corrosive and toxic, while alternatives, such as hydrogen peroxide, were logistically difficult as patients and staff had to vacate areas for them to be treated.

“Gas plasma is a fourth state of matter, like electrified gases, and, while it has been used in other areas, it has not been used in a healthcare environment,” said Prof Humphreys, who hoped a commercially viable product would be available after three years.

Prof Humphreys said they were also looking at ways at improving methods to detect overall environmental contamination.

Other award-winning projects include research on a new way to repair heart muscle after a cardiac arrest; the development of a diagnostic tool for predicting the response of ovarian cancer patients to a new class of therapeutics, and a web-based prostate cancer test that should reduce unnecessary diagnostic procedures and improve overall treatment.

The four successful research projects were chosen from a shortlist of 12 applications that had been whittled down from a total of 61.

Funding for the winning projects was announced by Health Minister Dr James Reilly and Minister for Research and Innovation Sean Sherlock.

The groups were selected due to the potential of the research to produce health benefits and economic development in Ireland.