WP5 aims to develop and use testing strategies that support coating invention and development activities and allows a predictive estimation of the antimicrobial action to be expected when they are deployed in practice.
To achieve objectives 1 and 2, the activities of participants 2 (Fraunhofer) and 12 (IMSL) will focus initially on supporting new coating invention and development by providing a harmonised testing programme to the participants of WP2. The cascade of testing and the model species to be employed will be selected during months 1 – 3 (bacteria, fungi and bacteriophages). The purpose of the screen will be to select coatings / coating technologies that can be progressed for further development.

Candidate systems will then be tested using conditions that reflect intended areas of use such that
coating / application / material matching can be achieved.

WP5 includes the following objectives:

1. To provide a service that supports the invention and development of the novel antimicrobial surfaces by screening candidate systems for activity against a representative range of target species in a rapid manner that allows for robust
   comparisons of relative efficacy to be made.
2. To assess those candidates that have been selected for progress for activity under conditions that simulate better their intended use. Both assessment systems are intended to form part of a ‘feed-back loop’ to both inform on system design and help to optimise it and allow the development of claims that are realistic rather than aspirational.
3. Extend the development of the models used for Objective 2 (and to a lesser extent, Objective 1) above to improve their compliance with the real-world conditions they are intended to reflect.
4. Extend the simulations to encompass mammalian viruses as, although the models will be functionalised for bacteriophage surrogates of them, there are a number of technical (as well as logistical and economic) hurdles that, to date, have prevented this being done for mammalian species.
5. To develop and use testing strategies that support coating invention and development activities and allows a predictive estimation of the antimicrobial action to be expected when they are deployed in practice.

Lead: IMSL