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Center for Biofilm Engineering
Director's Message:
A Vision for the Future
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I would like to share with you my vision for the future of the Center for
Biofilm Engineering (CBE) at Montana State University. There are four elements
to this vision:
1) focusing on the CBE research niche,
2) embracing what I am calling a “synthesis” function,
3) building the CBE as an international hub for biofilm research, education,
and technology
transfer, and
4) working with companies to translate the biofilm concept, and the exciting
new science
emerging from it, into new products and processes in industry
and medicine.
These initiatives are intended to enhance the CBE’s ongoing activities in
Research, Education, Technology Transfer, and Outreach. I am committed to
continuing excellence in all four of these areas.
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Focusing on the CBE Research Niche
The field of biofilms has changed a great deal in the 15 years since the CBE
was funded as a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. Taking
a look at the graph below, one can appreciate that the use of the term “biofilm” and
also, without a doubt, the amount of research activity in this area have grown
phenomenally in the last decade. What forces are driving these changes? How do
these changes affect the way the CBE competes in the research arena?
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Two of the important factors contributing to the growth of the biofilm
field are the intersection of biofilms with molecular biology and the continuing
demonstration that biofilms have significant impact in real world applications. It has only been
about 15 years since the tools of modern biology—genetic and biochemical
approaches—have been applied to biofilms in earnest. These efforts have been
astonishingly fruitful. New insights, hypotheses, and complexity have emerged.
Much of the growth in the biofilm field can be attributed to new science and new
participants from the life sciences. Another important factor is that biofilms
really do affect real world systems in diverse environmental, industrial, and
medical settings; this connection to the real world has only become more
apparent over the past several years. In other words, biofilms matter. |
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With this context in mind, the CBE should continue to do what we have already
been doing well for many years: mining the interface between biology and
engineering subspecialties such as hydrodynamics, modeling, electrochemistry,
and mechanics (see schematic at right). This may strike the reader as obvious, but sometimes
the obvious answer is the one that requires reinforcement. We do not need to
compete directly with every new biological study related to biofilms. We should
remember our interdisciplinary niche, continue to pick up on new developments in
biology, and complement them by providing engineering analysis and integration.
This does not mean that biology can be de-emphasized here at the CBE. On the
contrary, biology is central to our research, as depicted in the graphic. |
We are fortunate to have many talented biological scientists on our staff and in
departments such as microbiology here at Montana State University. But we lost a
great deal of biological expertise with Bill Costerton’s departure to southern
California. With this in mind I have negotiated, as part of my start-up package
as Director, to hire a new tenure-track biologist who will work in the CBE. This
search will be launched shortly, in partnership with our Department of Microbiology
here on campus.
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Synthesis
I used to be able to keep up with the biofilm literature. Now, with over a
thousand papers a year, it is difficult even to figure out which papers I should
be reading, much less to find time to peruse them. I know if I am feeling this way
that other people in this field must be too. What this tells me is that there is
a need, and hence an opportunity, for someone to provide a synthesis function:
digesting, analyzing, integrating, and interpreting the diverse and copious
information in the field of biofilms so that key trends, concepts, and insights
can be accessible. The CBE should be the place where synthesis happens. This
analysis could take the form of a written review, an oral presentation, or an
illustration that captures a new concept of biofilm structure, function, or
ecology. I wish to emphasize that true synthesis requires us to look beyond the
research and projects of our own campus here in Montana and to take in the
excellent work that is happening elsewhere.
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An International Hub
The CBE has numerous connections to other biofilm groups around the nation
and the world. Both of our previous directors networked very effectively and did
a great deal to give the CBE an international reach. But we are also faced with
the perception that the CBE has been the “800-pound gorilla” sitting on top of
the biofilm field and dominating it. Such a configuration will not last much
longer now that the field is growing so quickly, and so many new people are
getting into biofilms. At this juncture in the maturation of the field, it makes
sense for the CBE to build on its extensive connections around the nation and
globe to cultivate mutual partnerships with other leading biofilm groups. The
CBE is uniquely positioned to be the global clearinghouse and networking place
for all things related to biofilm research, education, and technology transfer.
This can elevate the quality of our research, extend the influence of our
educational initiatives, and allow us to provide our industrial associates with
access to the best of what is happening in biofilms from around the world.
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New Products and Processes
The biofilm concept and the science that is sprouting up around it bring with
them the promise of new technological solutions to real world problems. I would
like to mobilize the CBE to do the best possible job of translating this science
into new technology. This involves facilitating communication and collaboration
between academicians and industry, continuing to develop standard methods for
the analysis of biofilms, educating regulators and consumers about biofilms, and
promoting an environment that fosters innovation. I was personally energized by
the observation that at our last industrial meeting here in Bozeman (July 6-8,
2005) the potential seed of a new technology was embedded in no less than 14 of
the 27 presentations.
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Now it is your turn.
I welcome your feedback on this vision. A vision imagines a destination
without giving specifics about how to get there. I would be very interested to
have your suggestions for making this trip. You can contact me by
email
or phone (406) 994-4770.
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Posted August 31, 2005 |
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