Biofilm Modeling

Dockery9805701 研究者建立了微分方程模型来研究流体饱和多孔介质中的非均匀生物膜，其根本问题是生物膜相互作用如何影响生物膜中的空间非均匀性。 特别感兴趣的是所观察到的异质性的原因，异质性是否纯粹是一种流体动力学效应，通过化学信号传导的细胞-细胞通信是否可以对一些异质性负责，以及物种竞争是否可以在所观察到的膜粗糙度中起作用。 数学方法包括一维和二维空间模型、分析技术的发展和计算研究。 在该项目中，该实验室与生物膜工程中心的实验人员合作，并与该中心的成员分享对学生的指导。 了解生物膜形态和结构的变化将澄清生物膜内的运输和化学的重要问题。 用通俗的话来说，生物膜可能被称为粘液或污泥。 生物膜是在流动的流体环境中聚集在物体表面的微生物膜。 这些微生物在它们自己的身体细胞外分泌聚合物，这些聚合物将细胞彼此锚在一起，并锚定在形成薄膜的表面上。 生物膜可以堵塞管道，污染船体，腐蚀钢铁，腐蚀油田，或者通过在宿主组织或医疗植入物上生长而引起感染。 由于它们对水质、发电、能源效率和产品质量的普遍影响，它们的负面影响在大多数美国工业中都能感受到。 并不是所有的生物膜活性都有负面结果。 它们还可以分解水或土壤中的污染物，通常用于生物修复。 生物膜过程控制的潜力尚未完全实现，部分原因是缺乏对生物膜形式和结构的基础知识。 最近的实验表明，生物膜的结构并不像以前认为的那样均匀。 在这个项目中，生物学家建立了生物膜的数学模型来研究生物膜中的异质性。 了解生物膜结构的变化将有助于理解生物膜中的化学和运输问题：生物膜如何生长以及它能做什么。 他与生物膜工程中心的实验人员合作，并与该中心的成员分享对学生的指导。

Dockery9805701 The investigator develops differential equation models tostudy heterogeneous biofilms in fluid-saturated porous media.The underlying question is how biofilm interactions affectspatial heterogeneities in the biofilm. Of specific interest arecauses of observed heterogeneities, whether heterogeneity ispurely a hydrodynamic effect, whether cell-cell communicationthrough chemical signaling can be responsible for some of theheterogeneity, and whether species competition can be acontributing factor in the observed roughness of the film. Themathematical approach involves one- and two-space-dimensionalmodels, the development of analytical techniques, andcomputational studies. In the project the investigatorcollaborates with experimentalists at the Center for BiofilmEngineering and shares mentoring of students with members of theCenter. Understanding the variations in biofilm form andstructure will clarify the important issues of transport andchemistry within the biofilm. In the vernacular, a biofilm might be called slime orsludge. A biofilm is a film of microorganisms that accumulates onthe surface of an object in a flowing fluid environment. Themicroorganisms secrete polymers outside their own body cells,which anchor the cells to each other and to the surfaces on whichthe film forms. Biofilms can clog pipes, foul the hulls ofships, corrode steel, sour oil fields, or cause infections bygrowing on host tissues or medical implants. Because of theirpervasive effects on water quality, power generation, energyefficiency, and product quality, their negative effect is felt inmost U.S. industries. Not all biofilm activity has negativeresults. They can also break down contaminants in water or soiland often are used for bioremediation. The potential of biofilmprocess control has yet been fully realized due in part to a lackof fundamental knowledge of biofilm form and structure. Recentexperiments have shown that biofims are not so uniform instructure as once thought. In this project, the investigatordevelops mathematical models of biofilms to study heterogeneityin biofilms. Understanding the variations in biofilm structurewill lead to understanding issues of chemistry and transport inthe biofilm: how the biofilm grows and what it can do. Hecollaborates with experimentalists at the Center for BiofilmEngineering and shares mentoring of students with members of theCenter.