Presentation: 2025 ND EPSCoR Annual conference 

October 21, 2025, NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, North Dakota

The Antibacterial Effects of Silver Nanoparticles on Clinically Important ESKAPE Pathogens.

The continued rise of multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria is a major public health concern globally that requires urgent attention. The ESKAPE bacteria are of clinical importance because they have been implicated in hospital-acquired infections and are often resistant to multiple antibiotics. Nanoparticles are extremely small particles with at least one dimension less than 100 nanometers. They have shown promise as likely candidates in the search for alternative to conventional antibiotics. Although, many questions remain unanswered. Therefore, the overall aim of this study is to determine the antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against ESKAPE bacteria. I hypothesize that the synthesized AgNPs will have antibacterial activity against ESKAPE pathogens. To achieve our aim, the antibacterial activity of AgNPs synthesized using microwave-assisted green synthesis will be tested against ESKAPE bacteria. Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method will be used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Thereafter, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the AgNPs will be determined using standard methods. In conclusion, this study seeks to explore AgNPs as an alternative to antibiotics in the treatment of infections caused by ESKAPE Bacteria.