Medical implants like catheters and artificial hips are truly life-changing – they give rhythm back to life, restore mobility, and reinstate hope. However, a dark cloud often looms over these devices: the persistent threat of infection. As bacterial strains evolve resistance against the available antibiotic arsenal, the cracks in our defenses are showing.  A fresh approach is needed, one that looks beyond just biology and speaks the materials science language.

Nature, in all its complexity, has always been an astute designer. Take the lotus leaf, for instance. Its ability to repel water is not merely a result of its chemical makeup but a consequence of its micro and nano-surface structure (see: Extrand, C. W., & Moon, S. I. (2014). Repellency of the Lotus Leaf. Langmuir, 30(29), 8791–8797.) This got scientists thinking: Can we adapt such understanding to create implant surfaces that bacteria find inhospitable?

The Legacy and Evolution of Plasma Nanotexturing in Our Lab

Motivated and inspired by the pioneering groundwork of RSSEL with antibacterial nanocellulose, our journey into plasma nanotexturing began. In the heart of our lab, surrounded by state-of-the-art equipment and fueled by passion, we explored, sculpted, and innovated. From the nano-valleys to our signature tilted pillars, each design was crafted with purpose, aiming to make implant surfaces where bacteria struggled to thrive. Our persistence had fruit, revealing a reduction of up to 80% in bacterial adhesion on these nano-landscapes as shown in our recently published work (Jaramillo-Correa et al. (2023). Antibacterial Analysis on Plasma Nanotextured Chitosan Surfaces. Langmuir. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01808). Our report indicates up to an 80% reduction in bacterial adhesion on these nano-engineered surfaces.

But the benefits don’t stop at combatting infections. Interestingly, human cells seem to enjoy these newly textured landscapes. They don’t just grow; they align and interact in ways beneficial for medical applications. Imagine a wound healing more effectively because the cells are guided by the implant’s surface or tissue growing in a precise direction because of the surface’s design. As we continue to unravel the science and potential of surfaces at the nanoscale, one thing becomes clear: the future of biomaterials lies not just in the drugs we create but in the very materials and surfaces we engineer.

**Featured image: E. Coli bacterium on a 60-degree plasma-treated chitosan surface.