Biofilms News and Research

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Scientists develop novel enzyme technology that prevents formation of biofilms

Have you ever heard of biofilms? They are slimy, glue-like membranes that are produced by microbes, like bacteria and fungi, in order to colonize surfaces.

22 Jun 2017

Researchers examine formation of functional amyloids by bacteria in real time

A team of scientists from the VIB lab of Han Remaut and the lab of Yves Dufrêne at UCL Louvain-La-Neuve collaborated on a study of functional amyloids -protein aggregates with the typical amyloid structure that do not lead to disease but rather serve a dedicated biological function.

21 Jun 2017

Penn study points to novel therapeutic strategy for preventing severe tooth decay in toddlers

Though most tooth decay can be blamed on bacteria, such as Streptococcus mutans, the fungus Candida albicans may be a joint culprit in an alarmingly common form of severe tooth decay affecting toddlers known as early childhood caries.

20 Jun 2017

UAB researchers demonstrate persistence of donor microbes in recipients after fecal transplant

University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers have made the first direct demonstration that fecal donor microbes remained in recipients for months or years after a transplant to treat the diarrhea and colitis caused by recurrent Clostridium difficile infections -- a serious and stubborn cause of diarrhea after an antibiotic treatment for some other illness.

14 Jun 2017

Micropollutants exert stress on aquatic ecosystems

In Switzerland, more than 30,000 different substances are used on a daily basis in innumerable products - pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, cleaning agents or industrial chemicals.

1 Jun 2017

MGH scientists show how Shigella survives journey from mouth to the colon

Surviving the treacherous journey through the human body from the mouth to the colon takes a special kind of bacterial pathogen.

31 May 2017

TUM researchers show how biofilms develop water-repellent surface texture

Dental plaque and the viscous brown slime in drainpipes are two familiar examples of bacterial biofilms. Removing such bacterial depositions from surfaces is often very difficult, in part because they are extremely water-repellent.

18 May 2017

LSUHealthNO receives NIH grant to develop novel long-lasting dental filling materials

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health has awarded LSU Health New Orleans' School of Dentistry an R01 grant in the amount of $2,465,297 over five years to develop stronger, longer-lasting dental filling materials with antibacterial properties to inhibit recurrent cavities and extend the life of the restoration.

2 May 2017

Scientists aim to combat antibiotic-resistant infections by harnessing synthetic mucus

Researchers are pursuing an innovative and unexpected new avenue in the quest to fight antibiotic resistance: synthetic mucus. By studying and replicating mucus' natural ability to control pathogenic bacteria, the scientists hope to find new methods for combating infections.

26 Apr 2017

New strategy in antimicrobial peptides holds promise for combating multi-drug resistant bacteria

In an article published recently in Plos One, researchers from INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier Research Centre reported a strategy that could lead to the discovery of new cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) with greatly enhanced antimicrobial properties.

5 Apr 2017

Case Western Reserve and Q2 Pharma partner to develop antivirulence agents that disarm superbugs

Case Western Reserve University and Q2 Pharma Ltd., an Israeli biopharmaceutical company, have signed a two-year option to license small molecule, antivirulence technology to potentially treat bacterial infections such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the first known scientific effort of its kind.

31 Mar 2017

Researchers create new approach to reduce risk of dental implant failure

According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, 15 million Americans have crown or bridge replacements and three million have dental implants -- with this latter number rising by 500,000 a year.

24 Mar 2017

New class of membrane-busting compounds can combat MRSA skin infections in mice

Public health officials are increasingly concerned over methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The bacteria have developed resistance to a number of treatments, even antibiotics of last resort in some cases.

15 Mar 2017

Innovative ways to target antibiotic resistance in short term

There has been much recent talk about how to target the rising tide of antibiotic resistance across the world, one of the biggest threats to global health today.

3 Mar 2017

New investigational drug may help combat antibiotic-resistant global health threat

The deadly fungus, Candida auris, which has been found in hospitals, is resistant to entire classes of antimicrobial drugs, limiting treatment options for those infected.

24 Feb 2017

Use of the Quorum Cryo-SEM preparation system in microbial cell biology with electron cryotomography at the Jensen Laboratory

Quorum Technologies, market and technology leaders in electron microscopy coating and cryogenic preparation products, report on how their PP3010T Cryo-SEM preparation system is being used in the preparation of hydrated whole cells to be imaged using electron cryotomography in the Jensen Laboratory located at HHMI Caltech.

1 Feb 2017

KU Leuven researchers develop new dental implant that helps prevent and fight infections

A multidisciplinary team of researchers at KU Leuven (University of Leuven, Belgium) has developed a dental implant that gradually releases drugs from a built-in reservoir. This helps prevent and fight infections.

19 Jan 2017

Researchers finding way to manipulate signals in bacteria to reduce infections

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy has received a five-year, $1.25 million federal grant to continue its research into how bacteria that cause streptococcal infections can be manipulated.

12 Jan 2017

New research paves way for better strategies to diagnose and manage vascular graft infections

A rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease has generated substantial growth in the use of medical implants, such as vascular grafts.

11 Jan 2017

Dutch scientists discover favorable conditions for growth of Legionella bacteria

The bacteria that cause Legionnaire's disease grow well in warm tap water installations with ample dissolved organic matter--conditions that support the growth of biofilms. The research is published January 6th in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

6 Jan 2017