Award for research project analysing prosthetic joint infection

We are pleased to announce that a research project analysing prosthetic joint infection has received an award from a Pump Priming Research Scheme we co-funded with the Bone & Joint Infection Society. The research project, led by University of Glasgow Fellow in Bacteriology Dr Liam Rooney, will deploy a cross-scale, multi-modal imaging approach to map pathogens during prosthetic joint infection.

Hip and knee replacement surgeries are among the most frequently performed elective operations in the UK. Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains one of the most serious complications. Current diagnostic and research workflows provide only a partial picture of these infections. As a result, we still know very little about where pathogens grow on PJI prostheses, whether specific regions act as biofilm hotspots, how different microbial groups are spatially organised, and how biofilm localisation relates to surface degradation or implant failure.

According to Dr Rooney, ‘This project addresses a key technical barrier: how to preserve, stain, image and quantify biofilms directly on large-format orthopaedic devices. Establishing this workflow will provide the missing spatial component required to complement ongoing multi-‘omics and culture-based studies of PJI and build a repertoire of preliminary data for high-value funding applications. The resulting data will support larger studies investigating how implant geometry, surface features and polymicrobial organisation contribute to infection persistence and treatment failure..