Investigating microbial colonization and removal on dynamic patterned surfaces

Microbes have remarkable capabilities to attach to surfaces of natural and artificial systems, eventually leading to the formation of biofilms and associated chronic and persistent infections.

It is extremely appealing to understand how bacteria interact with three- dimensional surface topographies and how to design smart patterns as a strategy to create antifouling and biocidal materials.

Here I propose a dynamic strategy, merging verstile and large-scale surface modification teqhniques based on mechanical wrinkling of soft bilayers, that I developed at Imperial College London, microfluidics and microbiology.

The goal of MOBILE is investigating the mechanical confinement exerted by non-planar surface curvatures and spatial heterogeneities induced by fluid shear on bacterial initial attachment and removal, in confined environments.

Specifically (Aim 1), I will evaluate the combined action of surface topography and fluid shear over bacterial proliferation, motitly and viability, incorporating nano- to micro-scaled wrinkled geometries in microfluidic channels, mimicking biological tissues surfaces and implantable medical devices, testing a series of different clinically relevant bacterial strains (such as Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae).

I will also (Aim 2) develop antifouling and removal strategies by investigating the mechanical response of adhered bacteria, using patterned surfaces as stimuli-responsive probes ""actuated"" by means of mechanical deformation (i.e., by extension and compression of the wrinkled topographies) to induce detachment and surface cleaning under fluid dynamic conditions.

Overall, I aim to elucidate new methodologies for bacterial removal at different stages of biofilm formation paving the way towards the development of new classes of biomedical devices and to contribute to an important step in direction of controlling implant-associated infections.