Center for Biofilm Engineering

News Update: 

December, 2003

Volume 6, Issue 11-12

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Research Highlights

Biofilms 2003

ASM Conference, Victoria, BC

Over 650 attendees from all over the world enjoyed the ASM Biofilms 2003 conference, November 1-6. There were over 80 speakers and over 350 poster presentations. Evening sessions included 13 special topics sessions. Conference organizers included the CBE’s Bill Costerton (who initiated these biofilm special-topic ASM conferences in 1997), and Paul Stoodley. CBE faculty, staff, and students presented talks (9), posters (21) and workshops (10) at the conference. For just a glimpse of these information-packed days, click on the links below.

Conference Program and Poster Abstracts (pdf) http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/html/2003/ASMBiofilms2003.pdf
Poster Session  http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/html/2003/ASM_Posters.htm
Workshop Day  http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/html/2003/ASM_Workshop.htm
The Reception  http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/html/2003/ASM_Reception.htm
The Setting–Victoria, BC   http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/html/2003/ASM_Setting.htm


Presentations by the CBE were:

Biofilms as Ubiquitous, Self-Assembling, Integrated, and Protected Multi-Cellular Communities (Bill Costerton)

Slow Growth in P. aeruginosa Biofilms (Phil Stewart)

Proteomic Evaluation of S. aureus Biofilms (Mark Shirtliff)

A Computer Investigation of Biofilm Dynamics in the Absence of
Fluid Shear (Steve Hunt)

Biofilm Viscoelasticity and Dispersal Strategies in Flowing
Environments (Paul Stoodley)

Biofilms, Biodegradation, and Surfaces (Anne Camper)

A Novel Extracellular Matrix in Mycobacterial Biofilms (Luanne Hall-Stoodley)

Phylogenetic Analysis of Bacterial Colonization of an Infected Brain Shunt using PCR/DGGE Methods (Rick Veeh)

Controlled Ultrasonic Antibiotic Release from Hydrogel Coatings
for Biofilm Prevention (Iolanda Francolini)

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CBE Researchers in Nature

MSU scientists Betsey Pitts and Phil Stewart are coauthors with researchers Thien-Fan Mah and George O’Toole at Dartmouth Medical School on a paper with new insights about bacterial resistance to antibiotics published in the Nov. 20 issue of the prestigious journal Nature. Congratulations!

See full story at:
http://www.erc.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/html/2003/Nature_News.htm

Nature Reference:
A genetic basis for Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm antibiotic resistance
Mah T-F, Pitts B, Pellock B, Walker GC, Stewart PS, OToole GA
Nature Nov 2003; 426(6964):306-310
 

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Conference Date Change

Biofilms 2004: Structure and Activity of Biofilms

Previous conference dates were conflicting with other conferences. The conference dates have been changed to October 24-26, 2004. The location is still in Las Vegas, NV, USA.

Call for Papers

You are invited to submit an abstract of a full paper to the International Conference, Biofilms 2004: Structure and Activity of Biofilms. All submitted abstracts will be peer-reviewed before acceptance. See new submission deadlines at: http://www.erc.montana.edu/biofilms2004/submissions.htm

Topic areas are: 1) Biofilm Structure, 2) Biofilm Activity, 3) Biofilm Physiology and Genetics, 4) Modeling Biofilm Structure and Activity, and 5) Applications: Biofilm Structure and Activity in Natural and Engineered Systems

For more details see: http://www.erc.montana.edu/biofilms2004/default.htm

 

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Education

Conference Award

Woodrow Star won an award for the poster he presented at a Conference for Hispanic and Native American Students in Albuquerque.  Out of 425 posters, poster presenters received 20 awards; 3 of the 20 were given to MSU students.  Woody also received a cash award of $250.00.  His poster was entitled "Nontuberculous mycobacterial adherence to host molecules.”

For more information from the newspaper article, see:
http://www.montana.edu/commserv/csnews/nwview.php?article=1306
 

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Undergraduate Scholars Program Awardees

Awardees of the Fall 2003 USP program are listed below. USP awards are worth $1,500 each and cover a fee waiver for USP credits and/or a stipend. The program is designed to encourage, facilitate, and support undergraduate research in collaboration with faculty.
  
Conrad Donovan
Major: Electrical Engineering
USP Project: Microbial Fuel Cells
 
Sarah Golden
Major:  Biological Science
USP Project:  Quantifying Factors Affecting Toxic Shock tsst-1 in
Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms
 
Jarred Myers
Major: Chemical Engineering
USP Project: Electron Transfer Mechanisms in Mediator-less Microbial Fuel Cells
 
Travis Nelson
Major:  Chemistry-Teaching Option
USP Project:  Biofilm and Zero-Valent Iron Mediated Transformation of Explosives

Alison Ziegler
Major: Biomedical Science
USP Project: Control of Biofilms Using Natural Products
 
Ellen Swogger
Major: Chemical Engineering
USP Project: Bacterial Biofilms in Sinusitis

Liz Sandvik
Major: Chemical Engineering
USP Project: Optimization of a Model Hot Tub System for Mycobacterium fortuitum
 

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In the Media

Press Release


Glucans mediate biofilm resistance
The genetic basis of Pseudomonas biofilm antibiotic resistance linked to glucans
By David Secko
The Scientist November 20, 2003
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20031120/02/
 

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Upcoming CBE Workshops

Microsensors: Manufacture and applications
August 9–13, 2004
http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssentials-SW/research/workshops/detailsmicro.htm


Biofilm structure quantification and image analysis
July 22–23, 2004
http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssentials-SW/research/workshops/default.htm

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CBE People in Action

Stephen M. Hunt presented “An Investigation of Bacterial Biofilm Dynamics Using Computer Simulation,” AIChE meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 15–22, 2003.

Paul Stoodley as invited speaker presented “Biofilms as complex dynamic systems: New Thinking in Oral Healthcare,” sponsored by Philips Oral Healthcare. British Dental Hygienist Association Annual Conference. Harrogate, UK. November 29th, 2003.

Darla Goeres as invited speaker presented a talk titled "Understanding the Importance of Biofilms in Recreational Water" at the NSPI (National Spa and Pool Institute) Conference in New Orleans on November 6, 2003.

Haluk Beyenal made the following presentations at the AIChE, 2003 Annual Meeting, San Francisco Hilton, San Francisco, CA, November 16–21, 2003:
“An Improved Severinghaus-type Carbon Dioxide Microelectrode Constructed Using Iridium Oxide” See abstract at: http://www.aiche.org/conferences/techprogram/paperdetail.asp?PaperID=876&DSN=annual03
“Uranium Immobilization By Sulfate Reducing Biofilms” See abstract at: http://www.aiche.org/conferences/techprogram/paperdetail.asp?PaperID=884&DSN=annual03
 
Bill Costerton as invited speaker presented “The Role of Biofilms in Device-Related and Other Chronic Infections,” Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, October 29, 2003.

Bill Costerton was co-organizer and guest speaker at the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) conference: Biofilms 2003, Victoria, BC. Bill gave the opening address on the first night of the conference: “”Biofilms as Ubiquitous, Self-Assembling, Integrated, and Protected Multi-Cellular Communities,” November 1, 2003.

Paul Stoodley presented, "Biofilms as Complex Dynamic Systems: New Thinking in Oral Healthcare," sponsored by Philips Oral Healthcare, British Dental Hygienist Association Annual Conference, Harrogate, UK, November 29, 2003.

Bill Costerton as invited speaker presented “Biofilms in Medical Applications–Their Biological Relevance,” Berliner Dialyse-Seminar hosted by St. Joseph Kranken Haus, Berlin, Germany, December 5–6, 2003

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See the BiofilmsOnline.com December issue at http://www.BiofilmsOnline.com.

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Recent Web Updates

Check the Recent Web Updates link located on the CBE home page, to view the latest information posted on the CBE web.

See <http://www.erc.montana.edu/Recent%20Web%20Updates/default.htm> 

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