Synthetic peptide branched polymers for antibacterial and biomedical applications

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to human health, and this ‘invisible pandemic’ is a looming public health crisis. Accordingly, both broad-spectrum and selective antimicrobial agents that do not induce resistance are urgently required. Synthetic peptide-polymers and their mimics and in particular structurally nano-engineered antimicrobial peptide-polymers (SNAPPs) are antimicrobial materials with clinical potential as novel therapeutics to combat antimicrobial resistance due to their inherent biodegradability, biocompatibility and tuneable cytocompatibility. Macromolecular design in conjunction with rational monomer composition can direct their architecture, self-assembly and chemi..