Institution news
Chara explained her role and involvement with regards to the conference, critical challenges and what she is looking forward to at the event.
Q: Could you briefly explain your role and involvement in the management and treatment of incontinence?
Chara Olympiou (CO): As a PhD student in pharmacy, with a background in biomedical science, my research has been focused on the prevention, detection and treatment of catheter associated urinary tract infections. The role of a urinary catheter is to drain urine from the bladder, and these are often used for the management of incontinence. During long-term catheterisation, bacterial colonisation can occur which if untreated can lead into the development of crystalline biofilms, leading to further complications such as catheter encrustation and blockage, septicaemia, pyelonephritis, and shock.
My work is focused on the investigation of the mechanisms of urinary crystallisation and the effect of potential molecular modifiers on crystal nucleation and growth, as well as the antimicrobial effect those compounds have on bacterial growth. This work is being performed in collaboration with the University of Houston, USA, and Queen’s University Belfast, UK. Furthermore, another strand of my work focuses on the use of plasma treatment as an antibiofouling strategy for silicone substrate, a common material used in the manufacture of urinary catheters. An additional strand of my work involves the investigation of the development of an infection-detection system for early detection of urinary tract infections, which would potentially be used as a point-of-care technology.
Moreover, our group’s interests are focused on the development of advanced surface technologies for combating the main issues related with employment of medical devices, such as their infection susceptibility and ease of use.
Q: What is the number one challenge in the quest to better effectively combat the problems connected with incontinence?
CO: In my area of research, the number one challenge is the crystalline biofilm formation on urinary catheters which are used to assist patients living with incontinence. Formation of such biofilms can lead to complications such as severe discomfort, urinary retention, trauma to the urethra, septicaemia, pyelonephritis, and shock. Furthermore, urine retention in the bladder may cause leakage around the catheter leading to incontinence. These biofilms are resistant to antimicrobial agents and thus new ways for prevention, detection, and treatment of catheter associated urinary tract infections are required.
Q: What is the most exciting development in this field at the moment, either within your company or in the industry in general?
CO: The most exciting development in relation to urinary catheters to assist patients undergoing long-term urinary catheterisation is coated urinary catheters impregnated with antimicrobial agents which aim to delay or prevent encrustation and blockage. Currently, my team works to develop catheter coatings aiming at a pH-triggered drug release in the presence of infection. Additionally, other groups have developed infection-responsive fluorescent sensors for the early-detection of urinary catheter blockage.
Q: Where do you see developments heading in the next 5 to 10 years regarding technologies for the treatment and management for incontinence?
CO: In my area of research in relation to incontinence, development of urinary catheters impregnated with novel compounds that not only prevent the growth of crystals but additionally have potent antimicrobial effects against uropathogens, therefore combatting infections prior to manifestation of serious complications such as encrustation and blockage. These compounds would potentially be released in the urinary tract via an infection-responsive coated catheter. Additionally, these novel compounds would not be contributing to the promotion of antimicrobial resistance.
Furthermore, catheter technologies are underway aiming to indicate the presence of early-stage urinary tract infections by the release of coloured indicators.
Q: What are you most looking forward to by attending and presenting at Incontinence: The Engineering Challenge XII?
CO: I am looking forward to the presentations regarding strategies for prevention of catheter associated urinary tract infections and to the discussions that will follow. Moreover, I am excited to present my research to an audience where there are people who live with incontinence, therefore giving them hope for the future of prevention, detection, and treatment of catheter associated urinary tract infections. In addition, I am eager to meet researchers from universities and companies who work in the same field as me.
Incontinence: The Engineering Challenge XII will be taking place on 13-14 November 2019 at One Birdcage Walk in London. Join this conference to:
- Put forward your questions to a panel of experienced product users and take part in a multi-disciplinary workshop to find out how user experience can influence your R&D
- Discover what the results of capturing and passing on product user experience entails from authors including University of Southampton, University of Leeds and NIHR Devices for Dignity MedTech Co-operative
- Learn about the challenges of urinary catheters from authors including Queen's University Belfast; University Nottingham; University of Southampton and BioModics ApS, Denmark
- Learn about the possibilities of monitoring urinary incontinence to enable self-management from authors including University of Bath and University of Oxford
- Understand how bowel concerns are influencing treatment innovation with insights from authors including King’s College Hospital, London and University of Manchester
To book your place, please visit www.imeche.org/incontinence.