VISCOELASTICITY AND DETACHMENT IN BIOFILMS

该提案的目的是研究生物膜脱落的重要过程，作为一个具体的案例，在人体内，生物膜从宿主组织和留置装置表面脱落以传播感染。更普遍的是，生物膜生长在一系列环境和工业表面。有些人从受污染的食物、水或气溶胶中携带病原体：脱离导致病原体在环境中转移并与人接触。调查将包括如何评估和测量脱离和再附着的倾向。这项研究的成果对风险评估和疾病控制的一般领域至关重要。该提案涉及两位生物膜研究的领导者（蒙大拿州立大学的J. William Costerton博士和英国埃克塞特大学的Hilary Lappin-Scott博士）之间的国际合作。他们都是生物膜研究领域的国际专家。举个例子，他们是ASM生物膜专题会议（Snowbird, Utah, 1996）的组织者，并共同编辑了一本关于该主题的教科书。除了有活跃的个人研究兴趣，博士。科斯特顿和拉平-斯科特有一个成功的长期合作伙伴关系，产生了许多重要的研究。这种关系导致了独特和互补的研究实力的发展。

The objective of the proposal is to investigate the important processes of biofilm detachment As a specific case, within the human body biofilms detach from the surfaces of host tissues and indwelling devices to spread infection. More generally, biofilms grow on a range of environmental and industrial surfaces. Some harbor pathogens from contaminated food, water, or aerosols: detachment causes the transfer of pathogens within the environment and into contact with people. The investigation will cover how to assess and measure the propensity for detachment and reattachment. The products of this research are vital to the general area of risk assessment and disease control. The proposal involves an international collaboration between two leaders of biofilm research (Dr. J. William Costerton at Montana State University and Dr. Hilary Lappin-Scott at University of Exeter, U.K.) Both are international experts in biofilm research. To give examples, they were the organizers of the ASM Special Topics conference on Biofilms (Snowbird, Utah, 1996), and have jointly edited a textbook on the subject. In addition to having active individual research interests, Drs. Costerton and Lappin-Scott have a successful long- term partnership that has produced many significant studies. This relationship has led to the development of a unique and complementary research strength.