Theerthankar Das

University of Sydney

Dr. Theerthankar Das is a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney, Australia, with expertise in bacterial virulence factors, biofilm formation, and antimicrobial drug discovery. He has been awarded research funding/grants from the Australian Government totaling more than 4.5 million AUD. To date, Dr. Das has authored and co-authored forty-two publications in journals and eight book chapters. He is an academic editor of books and a reviewer for many high-impact scientific journals. He currently supervises Ph.D., master’s, and honors students and is involved in academic teachings. Dr. Das’ research has initiated the establishment of strong collaborations with industry, hospital, and research institutes.

Theerthankar Das

2books edited

6chapters authored

Latest work with IntechOpen by Theerthankar Das

Bacterial biofilms are colonies of bacterial cells embedded in their self-produced matrix composed of polysaccharides, DNA, and proteins. They protect bacterial cells against antibiotics, antibacterial agents, soaps and detergents, and shear stress. Some of the most common biofilm-associated infections in humans include urinary tract infections, infection of wounds and surgical sites, diabetic foot ulcers, dental caries (tooth decay) and gingivitis (gum inflammation), ventilator-associated infections, sinusitis, microbial keratitis, secondary infection related to Covid-19 and other viral infections, and so on. Bacterial resistance to common antibiotics (e.g., penicillin, gentamycin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, etc.) is driving us to a catastrophic failure of our health systems. Strategies to develop novel antibacterial agents and technology must be prioritized to combat and eradicate biofilms and their associated challenges. This book provides a comprehensive overview of biofilms with chapters on bacterial virulence factors, quorum sensing in bacteria, antimicrobial resistance in bacteria, strategies to develop new antibacterial agents, and much more.

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