Bacteria can construct strength by numbers when they produce biofilms, an agglutination of bacterial cells, carefully regulated by chemical communications between them to exert an influence on their medium that wouldn't be possible by single cells acting alone and competing with each other.
This intuitive collaboration poses a significant challenge when attempting to prevent bacterial action, whether in food processing, medical care, or various other industrial activities. Biofilms are composed of many bacteria attached to surfaces and embedded in an extracellular matrix that effectively acts as a distinct organism, offering better protection against antibiotic and biocidal agents. Additionally, this matrix-based superorganism presents improved metabolic capabilities that are only possible when many bacterial cells act in unison.
The formation of biofilms can radically change antimicrobial approaches. The course "Innovative Approaches for Biofilm Control and Characterization," held at the Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable in Montevideo, Uruguay, equipped students with the tools to not only study them and propose strategies for specific attacks, but also find ways to harness their biotechnological potential.
We thank Dr. Paola Scavone for coordinating the team that made this UNU-BIOLAC course possible.