Cutibacterium Acnes Biofilm Disruption By Nanoparticle Treatments
School Name
Chapin High School
Grade Level
12th Grade
Presentation Topic
Biochemistry
Presentation Type
Mentored
Abstract
C. acnes is short for Cutibacterium acnes and is the most common type of acne that forms on human skin (Cros et al., 2023). . C. acnes biofilms are known to be resistant to antimicrobial agents and produce more extracellular lipases than planktonic cell suspensions, which are cells that are free-flowing (Mias et al., 2023). C. ance biofilms are significant because they increase the risk of more severe levels of acne vulgaris. Additionally, nanoparticles are tiny materials, typically ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanoparticles have been shown to be a promising agent for disrupting biofilms due to their ability to invade the biofilm matrix and interact with bacterial cells (Torres-Mendieta et al., 2022). Nanoparticles are becoming increasingly common among skin care products. Three common nanoparticles in skin care products include silver, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide. This project cultures C. acne biofilms and prepares three different nanoparticle treatments to disrupt the biofilms. The goal is to determine which nanoparticle treatment disrupts the biofilm the most and kills the most cells. Crystal Violet Assay and Live/Dead Staining methods are used to analyze the disturbance with two ANOVA statistical tests. The results show significant findings with p-values <.001. Silver nanoparticles were found to be the most effective, followed by zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Therefore, individuals struggling with acne should buy skin care products containing first silver nanoparticles, then zinc oxide nanoparticles.
Recommended Citation
McGrath, Delaney, "Cutibacterium Acnes Biofilm Disruption By Nanoparticle Treatments" (2026). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 8.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2026/all/8
Location
Furman Hall 107
Start Date
3-28-2026 9:00 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Group Project
No
Cutibacterium Acnes Biofilm Disruption By Nanoparticle Treatments
Furman Hall 107
C. acnes is short for Cutibacterium acnes and is the most common type of acne that forms on human skin (Cros et al., 2023). . C. acnes biofilms are known to be resistant to antimicrobial agents and produce more extracellular lipases than planktonic cell suspensions, which are cells that are free-flowing (Mias et al., 2023). C. ance biofilms are significant because they increase the risk of more severe levels of acne vulgaris. Additionally, nanoparticles are tiny materials, typically ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanoparticles have been shown to be a promising agent for disrupting biofilms due to their ability to invade the biofilm matrix and interact with bacterial cells (Torres-Mendieta et al., 2022). Nanoparticles are becoming increasingly common among skin care products. Three common nanoparticles in skin care products include silver, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide. This project cultures C. acne biofilms and prepares three different nanoparticle treatments to disrupt the biofilms. The goal is to determine which nanoparticle treatment disrupts the biofilm the most and kills the most cells. Crystal Violet Assay and Live/Dead Staining methods are used to analyze the disturbance with two ANOVA statistical tests. The results show significant findings with p-values <.001. Silver nanoparticles were found to be the most effective, followed by zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Therefore, individuals struggling with acne should buy skin care products containing first silver nanoparticles, then zinc oxide nanoparticles.
