Biofilm array: understanding mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in biofilms
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| Prototype of Quad device, with biofilm dots 1 mm across on O2-sensing film. | COMSOL model of anti-microbial diffusion through the biofilm array (red = high conc.) | Confocal image of the edge of one biofilm showing live cells stained green and interior dead cells stained red. |
Microbial resistance to antibiotics is influenced by the immediate microenvironment of microbial biofilms, including temporally-varying substrate concentrations and gradients, and proximity to co-cultures. The objective of this project is to determine how biofilm microenvironment impacts resistance to antimicrobials.
People Involved: Jinzi Deng, Leonela Villegas.
In collaboration with Adit Dhummakupt, Philip Samson, John Wikswo at VIIBRE (Vanderbilt University)
Funding: UConn Faculty Large Grant, UConn Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship