Center for Biofilm Engineering

News Update: 

February, 2004

Volume 7, Issue 2

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Research Highlights

A Digest:  Biofilms 2003 Themes

by Phil Stewart

The American Society for Microbiology meeting “Biofilms 2003,” held in Victoria, British Columbia in early November 2003, was the largest biofilm meeting ever held.  Seventy-six oral presentations and 369 posters were presented over five days.  This selective summary of the meeting (which is derived from a presentation made at the Center for Biofilm Engineering Technical Advisory Conference on February 5, 2004), will focus on five themes that emerged from Biofilms 2003:  1) the expanding world of biofilm research and technology, 2) advances in characterizing microbial ecology in biofilms, 3) the occurrence of phenotypic variants in biofilms, 4) dispersal (detachment) from biofilms, and 5) interactions between microbial biofilms and higher organisms. 

Read the full article on Biofilms 2003 Themes

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Grant Announcement

Drs. Paul Stoodley and Peter Suci received a continuation on their grant, “Development of Mobile Biofilm Unit (MBU)”. This work is funded through the W.M. Keck Foundation through a Portland State University subcontract with Sherry Cady, Associate Professor Geomicrobiology. The work was funded for $81,185.00 for the duration of January 1, 2004 through October 31, 2004. Peter and Paul are co-PIs and Paul Gentile (Mechanical Engineering) will be working on the project this year.

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CBE Web Review

A review of the Center’s website was published in SIM News, November/December 2003, Vol. 53(6). SIM News is published by the Society for Industrial Microbiology.

See the full review.
 

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Position Announcements

The CBE is currently recruiting for three new CBE post docs. The jobs are posted on the MSU website at: http://www.montana.edu/msuinfo/jobs/prof/

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Education

Research Opportunity for the CBE Industrial Associates:
Sponsor an REU Student!

The CBE is extending an invitation to its Industrial Associates to submit a two-page research proposal appropriate for a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) student. The REU program brings talented students from across the US to the CBE for a ten-week intensive research program that includes laboratory research, oral and written communications development, ethics seminars and industrial interaction. For more information about this opportunity, contact Darla Goeres.

The deadline for submission is March 12, 2004.

 

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Characklis Award Announced

Laura Purevdorj-Gage is the recepient of the 2004 W.G. Characklis award. Her research is on the visual characterization of structure, behavior and detachment of bacterial biofilms in flowing systems.  Congratulations, Laura!

See picture and more details of Laura's qualifications.
 

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CBE PEOPLE IN ACTION

Marty Hamilton presented "Parallel comparison of antimicrobial tests," Antimicrobials Division, EPA, Arlington, VA, January 21, 2004.

Darla Goeres presented "Laboratory method: Testing the efficacy of hot tub disinfectants,"   Antimicrobials Division, EPA, Arlington, VA, January 21, 2004.

Marty Hamilton presented ""Dried surface sporicide tests: Collaborative study of the quantitative carrier test - tier 1," Biological and Economic Analysis Division, EPA, Ft. Mead, MD, January 22, 2004.

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Upcoming CBE Workshops

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

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

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See the BiofilmsOnline.com February 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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