Dr. Ben Chew

2007 Career Investigator Award, Scholar

Novel antimicrobial surface coatings for urologic devices|,|

Urinary catheters which provide drainage of the bladder to an external collecting device are the most commonly-placed medical devices. Urethral stents are hollow tubes used to drain urine from the kidney to the bladder and are used in the treatment of kidney stones. Catheters and stents provide conduits for drainage from the bladder to an external collection device, but also provide an entry point for bacteria to gain access to the bladder, resulting in urinary tract infections and an extended hospital stay. Antibiotics may be given for the duration that the drainage devices remain in the body; however, antibiotics raise concerns about overuse and development of antibiotic resistance.

New ways to reduce catheter and stent-related infections will improve patient care and decrease costs to the health care system, as well as reduce resistant superbugs. Dr. Ben Chew is leading a collaborative project to develop a new generation of urinary devices (catheters and stents) with unique antimicrobial surfaces, without employing classical antibiotics.

Using a novel peptide (protein) discovered at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Chew will test its use as a coating on urinary devices to reduce infection related to stents and catheters. This peptide is already in use on artificial joints and implants. This will be the first use of this unique and promising technique to protect urologic devices from infection and encrustation.

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