Physics of Bacterial Biofilms

6-7 January 2016
TS Elliot Theatre complex, Merton College, Oxford
Workshop Chair: Ramin Golestanian, University of Oxford

Merton College, Oxford

This meeting is the eighth of a series of focussed workshops which will consider several themes of the EPSRC NetworkPlus in ‘Understanding the Physics of Life’. These themes were developed through intensive discussion of participants during the network’s three earlier plenary conference events.

Here we will focus on the specific challenges at the physical/life sciences interface relating to bacterial biofilm formation. These concern questions spanning molecular to cellular scales, and involve all bacterial processes, for example including signal sensing and transduction, molecular mechanics of pili, surface-assisted cell motility, mechanical signaling, cell growth/division, shape and structure of colonies, and genetic heterogeneities. The meeting will include a series of short talks from leading biologists and biophysicists to “set the scene” for intensive discussion into developing novel and exciting lines of interfacial research in this area.

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Purpose

Our Focussed Workshop will provide a mechanism to nucleate new collaborative partnerships that will lead to outstanding science and the award of grants by research councils. Discussion sessions will be a very important element of the event, and it is hoped that all attendees will come ready to engage fully in that element of the programme. Our aim by the close of the meeting is to have seeded potential new collaborations and novel lines of cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in this area.

Who should attend?

We invite participation by academics (including early- and mid-career research fellows), clinical researchers and industrial scientists in the UK who are interested in the central goal of generating new collaborative research interactions at the physical/life sciences interface focussed on challenging questions pertaining to the physics of bacterial biofilms. The main business of these meetings will be to provide opportunities for researchers to talk and interact through, for example, brief flash presentations, speed-dating exercises, poster presentations, facilitated discussions and other activities.

Confirmed speakers and their talk titles

Prof Berenike Maier, University of Cologne
‘Cell sorting in early biofilms’
Prof George O’Toole, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
‘Early steps in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation: from genetics to mechanism’
Prof Gerard Wong, UCLA
‘Surface sensing, signaling, and motility control during the first 20 generations of P. aeruginosa life on a surface’
Prof Kevin Foster, University of Oxford
‘Cooperation and competition in bacterial biofilms: from model systems to the microbiome’

Programme

Day 1

12.30	Registration and Lunch
13.30	Introduction – Prof Ramin Golestanian
13.40	TALK 1: ‘Early steps in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation: from genetics to mechanism’ Prof George O’Toole, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
14.20	TALK 2: Cell sorting in early biofilms’ Prof Berenike Maier, University of Cologne
15.00	Coffee break
15.20	Discussion sessions – important issues in ‘physics of bacterial biofilms’
16.10	Discussions report back
16.30	Flash presentations – approx. 10 presenters
17.00	Presenters put up A3 sheet highlighting their area/issues/capabilities/questions/problems ready for discussion
17.30	Flash presentations – approx. 10 presenters
18.00	Presenters put up A3 sheet highlighting their area/issues/capabilities/questions/problems ready for discussion
18.30	Room check-in / Cash bar
19.00	Dinner
20.30	Cash bar available

Day 2

9.00	TALK 3: ‘Cooperation and competition in bacterial biofilms: from model systems to the microbiome’ Prof Kevin Foster, University of Oxford
9.40	Flash presentations – approx. 10 presenters
10.10	Presenters put up A3 sheet highlighting their area/issues/capabilities/questions/problems ready for discussion
10.40	Coffee Break
10.50	Discussion sessions – funding focuses and challenges
11.40	Discussions report back
12.00	TALK 4: ‘Surface sensing, signaling, and motility control during the first 20 generations of P. aeruginosa life on a surface’ Prof Gerard Wong, UCLA
12.40	Final thoughts
12.45	Lunch

Registration

This workshop is heavily subsidised by the Network, and the full registration fee of only £95 includes lunch on both days and dinner, bed and breakfast on 6 January. Registration for delegates has now closed.

The conference is due to start at 12.30pm on 6 January, and close after lunch on 7 January between 13:30-14:00pm.
If you have any further questions about this event, please do not hesitate to contact Christina Metcalfe, Network Coordinator at: c.metcalfe@sheffield.ac.uk

Directions

Please see the travel information section (within Visitor information) of Merton’s website for full directions and maps on accessing the college and The TS Elliot Lecture Theatre.