News Update: 

The winter 2006 Industrial Associates Technical Advisory Conference (TAC) will be held in Bozeman February 2-3 (Thursday-Friday). The TAC will feature sessions on biofilm control, phage interactions with biofilm, medical biofilms, and a special session on the biofilm matrix. The keynote presentation will be given by Dr. Peter Greenberg, Chairman of the Department of Microbiology at the University of Washington. The full agenda is available at:

In addition to the general TAC sessions, there will be a one-day Biofilms Method Workshop on February 1. The workshop will feature hands-on demonstrations of biofilm growth and enumeration techniques in use at the CBE and is a great educational experience for those performing laboratory experimentation with biofilms. The workshop agenda can be found at:

If you'd like further information about the TAC, please contact Paul Sturman at paul_stu@erc.montana.edu

Drs. Zbigniew Lewandowski and Haluk Beyenal have received a $450K award from ONR for a three-year project entitled: Microbial Fuel Cells to Power Submerged Electronic Devices.

Their previous research on microbial fuel cells has resulted in the publications in 2005 listed below. More are forthcoming in 2006.

“A Procedure for Determining Maximum Sustainable Power Generated by Microbial Fuel Cells”

Menicucci, J., H. Beyenal, E. Marsili, R.A. Veluchamy, G. Demir, and Z. Lewandowski

"Microbial Fuel Cell Using Anaerobic Respiration as an Anodic Reaction and Biomineralized Manganese as a Cathodic Reactant," Rhoads, A., H. Beyenal, and Z. Lewandowski, Environ. Sci. Technol., 39(12):4666-4671 (2005).

"Wireless Sensors Powered by Microbial Fuel Cells," Shantaram, A., H. Beyenal, R.R. Angathevar Veluchamy, and Z. Lewandowski, Environ. Sci. Technol., 39(13):5037-5042 (2005).

Unilever has re-joined as our newest Industrial Associate member. The designated representative will be Deidre Mitchell, from the microbiology department of the Home and Personal Care Division. Unilever is one of the world's largest consumer products companies and was a CBE member from 1992-2000. Visit Unilever’s homepage to learn more at:

Audrey Corbin, a biotechnology student from Lyon, France, will be joining the Biofilm Control team in January for several months. She will be working on aspects of E. coli gene expression in biofilms. Welcome Audrey!

“Clinical Significance of Seeding Dispersal in Biofilms: A Response”

Stoodley, P., B. Purevdorj-Gage and J.W. Costerton

Microbiology, 151:3453 (2005)

“Visualization and Characterization of Dynamic Patterns of Flow, Growth and Activity of Biofilms Growing in Porous Media”

Sharp, R.R., P. Stoodley, M. Adgie, R. Gerlach and A. Cunningham

Wat. Sci. Technol. 52(7):85-90 (2005)

“Editorial: Advances and Challenges in Biofilm Research”

Lewandowski, Z.

Wat. Sci. Technol. 52(7):v-xiii (2005)

“Letter to the Editor: Diffusion Coefficient of Fluoride in Dental Plaque”

Stewart, P.S.

Phil Stewart, as an invited speaker, presented "Alternative Strategies for Biofilm Control," Pacifichem 2005, Honolulu, HI, December 16-21, 2005. Pacifichem 2005 was co-sponsored by the American Chemical Society, the Chemical Society of Japan, the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the Korean Chemical Society, the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

Phil Stewart, as an invited speaker, presented “Biofilms: What they are, where they occur, some examples of industries and applications where they cause problems, possible control strategies,” at Novozymes North America, Inc., Franklinton, NC, December 8, 2005.

Linda Loetterle conducted a CDC Biofilm Reactor workshop and gave a presentation titled "Basic Biofilm Techniques - Biofilm Growth Reactors" at Novozymes, Franklinton, NC, December 8, 2005.