CBE News Update

It is always our goal to present relevant and exciting information about current biofilm research at our conferences. We also like to make it enjoyable, digestable and worth our attendees' valuable time. This conference was exceptional, thanks to all who attended, worked with us, asked hard questions, shared their successes and failures, and kept it relevant and on time. It was fun!

This winter's meeting attracted a total of 69 attendees. Of these, 60 attendees represented 46 different companies; 4 attendees were from colleges/universities, and 5 were from government agencies/entities. Sixteen Industrial Associate companies and 30 visiting companies were represented.

Session Topics

Medical/Oral Biofilms

Biofilm Ecology

Biofilm Methods

Regulatory Session
Biofilm Control

See Agenda (pdf)

Phil Stewart, Director, Center for Biofilm Engineering, gave the welcome address.

Invited Speakers

We were delighted to host five experts from outside the MSU campus. Each speaker was invited to share special expertise relating to session topics (see above). Professionals came from a variety of affiliations (industry, university and government) and contributed to the applied theme of the conference.

Alex Rickard, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Buddy Ratner, Director, University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials (UWEB)

Marcus Rindal, Microbiologist, Office of Pesticide Programs, EPA

Chiu Lin, Division Director, Anesthesiology, General Hospital Infection Control and Dental Devices, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Paul Bennett Savage, Professor, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Utah

WORKSHOPS

Workshops have become an essential part of how we transfer technology to industry. In our labs, we give participants the opportunity to learn—hands on—about our methods and technologies. It's your chance to learn about the nuts and bolts of reactor setups and to peer through a confocal microscope for bacterial communities. We demonstrate some novel techniques, as well as tell you about pitfalls and problems. It's all real, concrete learning. Each conference begins with a one-day workshop, divided into Basic and Advanced simultaneous sessions to accommodate industry needs.

Pictured left to right: Cindi Crosby, enturia, Inc.; Karin Leontein, W.L. Gore; Smita Sutrave, CBE

W.G. Characklis Award

Our students are the best. They talk biofilms in the language of several disciplines and often bring international experience and perspectives as well.

Stewart Clark, graduate candidate in microbiology from South Africa, was nominated for the W.G. Characklis Award because of his leadership qualities and contributions to the Center's research and education. Read more about his contributions to the CBE: http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssentials-SW/education/CharacklisAward/ed-basics-wgc_2007.htm

Best Poster Award

Attendees enjoy interacting with CBE students throughout the conference. It's also a great experience for students to learn just how meaningful their work is to industry. To promote student-industry interaction, the CBE offers a "Best Poster Award," chosen by industrial attendees. Undergraduate Nic Beck (far left) won the this TAC's $200 award. His poster was titled "Development of a rapid biofilm analysis kit." His major is chemical engineering and he will graduate this spring.

▪ Ash Access Technologies ▪ Masco ▪ Binghamton University ▪ Novozymes A/S ▪ Church & Dwight ▪ Cook Medical

▪ Southwest Regional Wound Care Center ▪ ICU Medical ▪ Brigham Young University ▪ Montana Tech ▪ Sterilex
▪ Sandia National Labs ▪ US-EPA-OPP ▪ BRIDGE Preclinical Testing Services ▪ Genencor International
▪ Molecular Probes - Invitrogen ▪ IVX Animal Health ▪ MIOX Corporation ▪ Baxter Healthcare ▪ US-FDA-CDRH
▪ Interface Biologics ▪ Celleration, Inc. ▪ Kay Chemical Company ▪ Novozymes Biologicals ▪ Glanbia Nutritionals, Inc.

MEMBERS AND GUESTS

It's always a pleasure to have your undivided attention! Thank you for your commitment and investment to learn more about biofilms by attending the Technical Advisory Conference at Montana State University, Bozeman.

▪ Dow Chemical Co. ▪ W.L. Gore ▪ NovaCal Pharmaceuticals ▪ NASA ▪ Colgate-Palmolive ▪ DuPont ▪ Microbion
▪ BioScience Laboratories ▪ enturia, Inc. ▪ BioSurface Technologies ▪ MoInlycke Health Care, AB ▪ Ecolab
▪ USC School of Dentistry ▪ Medtronic ▪ Nitricbio Advanced Healing Solutions ▪ Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corporation
▪ Ceragenix Pharmaceuticals ▪ GOJO Industries. ▪ Whirlpool Corp. ▪ Embro Corporation ▪ Kimberly-Clark Corporation
▪ Bausch & Lomb ▪ R&C Walter Enterprises ▪ 3M ▪ Bacterin International ▪ Tyco Healthcare/Kendall

Next Conference

Summer Conference:
July 24-26, 2007

Summer Workshop:
July 23, 2007

Contact Paul Sturman at 406 994-2102, for information about the Industrial Associate Program or the Technical Advisory Conferences and Workshops.

We look forward to seeing you again in Summer 2007!

March, 2007

Volume 10, Issue 3

Technical Advisory Conference