Biophysics of Bacterial Biofilms

Condensed Matter lunchtime seminar

Biophysics of Bacterial Biofilms

  • Event time: 1:00pm
  • Event date: 21st November 2016
  • Speaker: Knut Drescher (Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology Marburg Germany)
  • Location: Room 2511,

Event details

Bacteria frequently occupy densely populated surface-bound communities, known as “biofilms”. It is largely unknown how bacteria organize their collective behavior inside biofilms, and how biofilms obtain their architecture. In this presentation, I will focus on how fluid physics shapes the dynamics of collective behaviors inside biofilms in geometrically complex environments. I will also introduce a new method that allows us to image all individual cells in bacterial biofilms, and show how biofilm communities avoid invasion by members of their own species and other species. This presentation will illustrate the rich interplay of bacterial cooperative behaviors in biofilm communities and physics.

About Condensed Matter lunchtime seminars

This is a weekly series of informal talks given primarily by members of the institute of condensed matter and complex systems, but is also open to members of other groups and external visitors. The aim of the series is to promote discussion and learning of various topics at a level suitable to the broad background of the group. Everyone is welcome to attend..

Find out more about Condensed Matter lunchtime seminars.