The team behind NitroPep
Developed and patented by research teams at the University of Birmingham, NitroPep antimicrobial coating is a new line of defence against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Led by Dr Felicity de Cogan, from the Institute of Microbiology & Infection, University of Birmingham, our product has been initially developed for use on door handles, push plates and grab rails.
Our successful clinical studies means there is potential to widen the rollout of our non-toxic coating to other regularly-handled steel surfaces, including toilet flush handles, bed rails and metal medical equipment.
The team behind NitroPep
Dr Felicity de Cogan
Chief Scientific Officer

Dr Felicity de Cogan is a research scientist at the University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences and Institute of Microbiology and Infection. She is a Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellow and has spent more than eight years working in the fields of microbiology and the development of antimicrobial agents.
Felicity has filed eight patents through the University of Birmingham and has previously developed peptide design for drug delivery applications and the concept of peptide-materials grafts to create smart material coatings. Her work can also be seen in high impact medical publications, including Journal Royal Society Interface, Angew. Chem and Soft Matter.
Dr Graeme Forster
Managing Director

Graeme is an experienced operations driven executive with a strong career history in metallurgy and the heat treatment of metals. Graeme served as Managing Director of Metaltech Ltd for over 25 years until he oversaw the trade sale of the business to the Wallwork HT Group which was concluded in 2017. The sale has allowed him to strategically commit to the NitroPep venture. Prior to his involvement with Metaltech he worked for the British Steel Corporation before he undertook a PhD in 1986. His doctorate was awarded in 1989 for studies into the High Temperature Chloridation of Selected Pure Metals and Alloys. Graeme has a strong background in process metallurgy and commercial heat treatment, as well being fully conversant with the requirements of running of a UK Ltd Company. His particular industrial interests include controlled atmosphere heat treatments, plasma assisted surface engineering and coating technologies. His bibliography includes publications in the fields of high temperature corrosion and plasma boronizing. A graduate of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, his qualifications include BSc, CEng, MIMMM, MWeldI, MICorr.

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NitroPep has partnered with leading metal processing experts Rübig
Rübig’s low temperature vacuum plasma cleaning technology removes all traces of surface contamination to ensure that their subsequent PACVD plasma activation enables pre-cursor molecules to be bonded to the surface of components, ensuring permanent attachment of NitroPep’s patented antimicrobial technology. NitroPep and Rübig have signed an exclusive licence partnership to work together to further develop and expand this exciting technology.