• Business
  • Community
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • What’s On
  • Traffic & Travel
  • Weather
Bath Echo
  • Saturday 27th February 2021
  • Subscribe
  • Opinion
  • Reviews
  • Letters
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Editions
Bath Echo

Bath, GB

  • Business
  • Community
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • What’s On
  • Traffic & Travel
  • Weather
Home
News Headlines
Education

University collaboration aims to blitz infections with deep-ultraviolet light

Wednesday 9th September 2020 Bath Echo News Team Bath Echo News Team Education

Share
Tweet
WhatsApp
Pin
Share

Scientists at the University of Bath are collaborating on a major project that aims to transform the treatment of dangerous infections and ‘inoperable’ cancers using deep-ultraviolet light.

Fibre optics will deliver deep-ultraviolet light | Image © Robert Francis-Jones and Tom Wright

The five-year, £6.1 million U-care project, led by Heriot-Watt University, is among six research projects announced yesterday, Tuesday 8th September.

The U-Care project is being funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Collectively, these six projects will use technological solutions to tackle complex problems in healthcare. The aim is to transform care and treatments in the NHS by 2050.

Scientists from Bath will design advanced optical fibres that are capable of delivering short-wavelength deep-ultraviolet light within the human body.

Longer-wavelength ultraviolet light is well-known to kill pathogens but also to damage human DNA and cause cancer, hence the well-known need to avoid too much exposure to the sun.

However, shorter-wavelength UV light is absorbed by proteins in the outer parts of human cells to a much greater degree than the UV light emanating from the sun, making it a strong candidate for safe and potentially life-saving medical treatments.

Professor Tim Birks from the Department of Physics explained: “Our idea is to exploit the fact that the deep-ultraviolet light never reaches the nuclei of human cells.

“Bacterial cells are much smaller. They don’t have nuclei so you can destroy them with deep-ultraviolet light without damaging the patient’s DNA.”

Hospitalised patients, including those with Covid-19, are highly susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, many of which are resistant to antibiotics.

Such infections are a particular concern in intensive care units, where patients are exposed to bacteria from ventilators and catheters.

If U-care yields results while the Covid-19 pandemic is ongoing, the new technology may be deployed to treat patients against secondary lung infections triggered by the coronavirus.

“It’s not a project that aims to help the sick now, but if we make rapid progress we hope to be ready for future pandemics,” said Professor Birks, who is leading the investigation for Bath.

U-care will also give surgeons a tool for operating with more precision. Cancer surgeons will be able to remove tumours that are currently left untouched because there is no reliable way of excising them without affecting the surrounding tissue.

The challenge for the Bath researchers is to produce optical fibres to direct the deep UV light to confined regions of the body, such as the lungs, surgical sites and the urinary tract of patients using catheters long term.

“It’s hard to make fibres on that micro-scale,” said Professor Birks. “We need to find a solution that can eventually be made cheaply and routinely.”

U-care is a collaboration between Bath, Heriot Watt University and the University of Edinburgh.

Scientists at Heriot Watt will investigate light sources in a bid to find the most effective means of producing deep UV, while colleagues at Edinburgh will be examining the effects of deep UV light on human cells.

Share
Tweet
WhatsApp
Pin
Share
Next article Choral services to resume at Bath Abbey in October after 6-month absence
Previous article RUH doctors appeal for more people to join Bath cancer unit challenge

Related Stories

Wessex Water set to create more than 100 new jobs over the next 6 months
Thursday 25th February 2021

Wessex Water set to create more than 100 new jobs over the next 6 months

Families urged to seek mental health support during latest lockdown
Tuesday 9th February 2021

Families urged to seek mental health support during latest lockdown

University of Bath seeking volunteers for week-long social media detox study
Thursday 4th February 2021

University of Bath seeking volunteers for week-long social media detox study

...
Followers
Follow
...
Likes
Like
...
Followers
Follow

Top Stories

Wessex Water advises local road users about A36 repair work disruption

Wessex Water advises local road users about A36 repair work disruption

Friday 26th February 2021
Rapid COVID-19 test site for asymptomatic key workers being opened in Bath

Rapid COVID-19 test site for asymptomatic key workers being opened in Bath

Friday 26th February 2021
Volunteer ‘lock angels’ being sought to look after the Kennet & Avon Canal

Volunteer ‘lock angels’ being sought to look after the Kennet & Avon Canal

Friday 26th February 2021
State-of-the-art LED lighting being installed and trialled at Bath Abbey

State-of-the-art LED lighting being installed and trialled at Bath Abbey

Friday 26th February 2021
Council to buy acres of green belt land to make way for new roads and homes

Council to buy acres of green belt land to make way for new roads and homes

Friday 26th February 2021
  • Business
  • Community
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • What’s On
  • Traffic & Travel
  • Weather
  • Back to top
Created by Media Bath - Regulated by IMPRESS

About the Bath Echo | Your City, Your News

We're your local independent newspaper covering news and events across beautiful Bath and the close surrounding villages. We're here to help keep Bathonians in the know about what's going on in their city.

Useful Info

  • House Rules
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Complaints Policy
  • Social Media Policy
© Bath Echo 2021. All rights reserved.
Produced by Media Bath Limited
The Bath Echo website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're okay with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Okay Find Out More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.