Workshop: The Mechanical Properties of Biofilms: State-of-the-Art and Research Needs, at University of Notre Dame in late July or early August of 2017

1632982 Nerenberg生物膜来源于自然和工程系统中的微生物，来源于生物体产生的细胞外有机物质。虽然许多环境处理过程需要生物膜，例如移动床生物膜反应器和颗粒污泥反应器，但在许多其他环境处理过程中，它们是有害的。例如，生物膜导致膜过滤系统结垢，大大增加了能量需求。它们还可以在输水干线中藏匿病原体，并堵塞多孔介质。生物膜在其他领域也存在问题。例如，在工业中，它们可以导致水和石油管道的生物腐蚀以及生物污垢冷却塔。在航运中，它们会引起船体结垢，导致水力阻力和能耗的大幅增加。在健康领域，生物膜产生假体装置的非传染性感染、患有囊性纤维化的人的肺部感染，并且是龋齿的主要原因。建议举办一个关于生物膜的研讨会，重点讨论其机械性能。该研讨会将于2017年7月底或8月初在圣母大学举行。生物膜会在环境、工业和临床环境中造成污染，导致巨大的经济成本。然而，对生物膜的机械性能知之甚少，这是开发有效的生物膜管理策略的关键。拟议的研讨会将汇集来自不同学科的研究人员，以确定关键的研究需求，以更好地了解生物膜的机械性能。除了来自巴黎圣母院的五位专家外，PI预计将邀请多达60位美国生物膜和生物膜机械性能领域的领先研究人员参加这项资助。将鼓励来自其他国家的主要研究人员亲自或通过视频会议参与，利用外部支持。许多研究人员将来自通常不会交叉的学科，如环境工程，机械工程，化学工程，微生物学，材料科学，医学科学和应用数学。研讨会将讨论以下问题：1.在科学、工程和医学领域，生物膜的机械性能起着关键作用，这些领域存在哪些问题？2.需要哪些类型的信息来表征生物膜的机械行为？3.哪些物理、化学和微生物因素会影响生物膜的机械性能？4.如何描述生物膜的机械性能？5.测定生物膜力学性能的实验方法有哪些，它们的优缺点是什么？获取哪些类型的参数？6.有哪些类型的模型可用于描述生物膜的机械性能，哪些类型的问题是最合适的模型？其结果将是一个总结的国家的生物膜机械性能的知识和定义的关键研究需要的环境，医疗和其他应用。

1632982NerenbergBiofilms arise from microorganisms in natural and engineered systems from organic substances that are produced by the organisms and are outside of the cell. While biofilms are needed for many environmental treatment processes, such as the moving bed biofilm reactor and the granular sludge reactor, in many other environmental processes they are detrimental. For example, biofilms cause fouling of membrane filtration systems, greatly increasing energy requirements. They also can harbor pathogens in water transmission mains and clog porous media. Biofilms also are problematic in other fields. For example, in industry they can cause bio-corrosion in water and oil pipelines and biofouling cooling towers. In shipping, they initiate the fouling of ship hulls, resulting in a major increase hydraulic drag and energy consumption. In the health field, biofilms produce recalcitrant infections of prosthetic devices, lung infections of people with cystic fibrosis, and are the primary cause of dental caries. A workshop on biofilms is proposed with a focus on their mechanical properties. The workshop will tentatively be held at the University of Notre Dame in late July or early August of 2017.Biofilms can cause fouling in environmental, industrial, and clinical settings, leading to enormous economic costs. Yet little is known about the mechanical properties of biofilms, which is key for developing effective biofilm management strategies. The proposed workshop will bring together researchers from various disciplines to define critical research needs to better understand biofilm mechanical properties. In addition to five experts from Notre Dame, the PI expects to invite up to 60 leading US researchers in the field of biofilms and biofilm mechanical properties to participate with support from this grant. Leading researchers from other countries will be encouraged to participate, using outside support, in person or via video conference. Many of the researchers will come from disciplines that normally would not intersect, such as environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, microbiology, materials science, medical science, and applied mathematics. The workshop will address the following: 1. What are the problems from the science, engineering, and medical fields, where biofilm mechanical properties play a key role? 2. What types of information are needed to characterize biofilm mechanical behavior? 3. What physical, chemical, and microbiological factors affect the mechanical properties of biofilms? 4. How are biofilm mechanical properties described? 5. What are the experimental approaches for determining biofilm mechanical properties, and what are their advantages and disadvantages? What type of parameters are obtained? 6. What types of models are available to describe biofilm mechanical properties and for which types of problems are the models most suitable? The outcome will be a summary of the state the knowledge on biofilm mechanical properties and a definition of critical research needs for environmental, medical, and other applications.