meeting

Biofilms are resilient and organized communities of microbes embedded in a glue-like matrix of extracellular polymers. Bacteria and fungi form biofilms on biotic and abiotic surfaces, such as tooth enamel, skin, mucosa, catheters, prosthetic valves, as well as water pipelines and filtration units. In the human body, biofilms mediate a range of infections including chronic wound infections, pneumonia, endocarditis, and eye, ear and implant-associated infections, posing a significant challenge and burden to the healthcare industry. Food, dairy, and pharmaceutical industries are also impacted by microbial biofilms as they cause contamination, hinder manufacturing processes, and may lead to economic losses.