Fordyce Davidson -- The Architecture of Biofilms
| Dates: | 17 November 2021 |
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| Times: | 13:00 - 14:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Department of Mathematics |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, External researchers, Current University students |
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| Speaker: | Fordyce Davidson |
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(via Zoom)
Join us for this seminar by Fordyce Davidson (Dundee) as part of the North West Seminar Series in Mathematical Biology and Data Sciences. Details of the full series can be found here https://www.cms.livjm.ac.uk/APMSeminar/
Please contact carl.whitfield@manchester.ac.uk or bnvasiev@liverpool.ac.uk for the zoom link, or sign up to the mailing list.
Abstract: Biofilms are social communities of microbial cells that underpin diverse processes including sewage bioremediation, plant growth promotion and plant protection, chronic infections and industrial biofouling. They are hallmarked by the production of an extracellular polymeric matrix. One of the phenotypic consequences of biofilm formation is that resident microbes are highly resistant to physical stresses and antimicrobial agents. Rapid advances in molecular and microscopy techniques are revealing a rich array of novel, complex behaviours associated with biofilm formation. For example new data of the authors reveals that the leading edge of a class of biofilms advances as a result of an extraordinary complex process that defies simple mechanical analogue. Behind this leading edge the biofilm matures differentially in response to environmental conditions. We propose that in order to keep pace with these rapid advances in experimental methods demands the application of new theoretical tools. We discuss some standard theoretical approaches used by the authors, highlighting their limitation by presenting images and movies that have changed our perception. We invite a discussion of novel perspectives on modelling biofilm formation that may yield a deeper and more useful understanding. As a starting point, we propose that one such approach may result from a holistic view that treats these complex cell-matrix composites as dynamically active materials.
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Speaker
Fordyce Davidson
Role: Professor
Organisation: University of Dundee
Travel and Contact Information
