Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) occur in 30.4% of deployed female United States soldiers in austere conditions, with a 41.3% recurring infection rate. To prevent these infections, bacteriophage can be used to target UTI-causing E. coli bacteria by infecting and replicating within it. Encapsulated liposomes could be used to increase phage stability and localize delivery to E. coli bacteria; albumin could be used to assist in loading bacteriophage into liposomes. Our team formulated empty liposomes and characterized them for size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential before encapsulating albumin and two separate bacteriophage strains (T6 and MS2) into liposomes. The encapsulation efficiency of albumin liposomes was calculated to be between 70.2-85.5%, while the encapsulation efficiency of MS2 liposomes was calculated to be between 57.24-82.45%. Encapsulation efficiency determination of T6 liposomes is ongoing to counteract challenges experienced due to interference of Triton X-100 with lysed liposomes. This study discusses the materials and methods used to achieve these results, as well as next steps to prevent UTIs in deployed U.S. soldiers.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Rapoport, Dylan
• Afthim, Julia
• Raza, Wasef

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 104651
• E-project-042423-142210

Keyword

• Characterization
• Liposome
• Encapsulation
• Bacteriophage
• Albumin
• Urinary Tract Infections

Advisor

• Bailey, Christina M.

Year

• 2023

Sponsor

• United States Army Natick Soldier Center

Date created

• 2023-04-24

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Management
• Chemical Engineering

Source

• E-project-042423-142210

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2023-06-22