|
 |
 |
|
|
|
| Monday, 03 July 2006 09:31 | | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk
|
|
|
Dr Bruce Alexander has won a £270,000 grant to battle the killer disease malaria.
The scientist is working on a fabric that can repel or kill the mosquitoes which spread the disease. Malaria claims between 1.5million and 2.7million lives worldwide every year, including one million children in Africa.
Edinburgh University graduate Dr Alexander said: "To keep mosquitoes from biting people you have to have some form of barrier but there are problems with conventional netting.
"They are impregnated with insecticides which lose effectiveness over time and washing. People either have to buy a new net or re-impregnate the net with insecticide.
"The insecticides are pretty nasty if handled wrongly. Our aim is to produce a sustainable product without toxic chemicals".
Dr Alexander added: "It will be the structure of the material that will be effective against the insects.
"It will be its physical properties but for commercial confidentiality, I can't say any more than that".
Dr Alexander has set up Xeroshield, based at the Roslin Bio Centre in Midlothian, to make his dream a reality.
He has been backed by Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian, the European Regional Development Fund and Edinburgh University.
Dr Alexander said: "The Gates grant will provide a couple of years of research and development. We are still a long way from production but it does recognise this is a serious idea”.
|
|
| -
0 comments on this story
|
|
|
Home Top Disclaimer Site
Credits
Nursing Jobs | Just for Nurses | Nursing Agencies List | Charles Bloe Training
Nursing Portal | Nursing Events | Brutish Nursing | British Nursing Websites
Website Development and SEO Services
|
|
|
