US Partnering Award: Building a globally leading partnership between NBIC and CBE international biofilm centres.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Sch of Biological Sciences
Abstract
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| Description | This workshop brought together key complementary academic expertise and thought-leadership in biofilms, contamination of metal surfaces and biocorrosion processes across the life and physical sciences and engineering domains within NBIC, CBE and internationally in order to identify the key knowledge gaps and research challenges for future projects and research collaboration. Invited workshop participants from NBIC partner organisations and industry leaders shared their unmet needs and current state of knowledge of interactions between complex microbial communities and metals, with a focus on the challenge of microbiologically-influenced corrosion (MIC), and to identify projects and actionable ways forward. |
| Exploitation Route | The main themes that emerged from these discussions are: What are the key challenges? Being able to model where and when a biofilm may form Remote/online detection and monitoring of biofilm formation, early warning if MIC is taking place Prevention or the complete removal of biofilms through non-hazardous mechanisms Standardisation of methods/models to assess corrosion/the causative biofilm composition in various environments Providing tools and models/methods that are suitable for the end user Understanding the initiation times between bacterial contamination and biofilm formation to active corrosion. What is the emerging science and technologies that could address these challenges? Joined up interdisciplinary approaches in a collaborative effort to consider: Mechanisms and models of the interactions of the donor/inoculum/metal Surface science Senor technologies Materials Costings technologies Ensuring that offshore wind structures and the water industry are also included when addressing these challenges Other key points that came out of the breakout discussions: The need for a platform to bring together a 'community forum village to facilitate collaboration across multiple disciplines and organisations. Effective communication with end-users about what microbial corrosion is (and isn't). The development of training and education programmes |
| Sectors | Education Energy |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk/microbe-metal-interactions-report/ |
| Description | The award has supported further development of NBIC and CBE collaboration in biofilm standards and policy exchanges. This resulted in further funding granted for workshops and exchanges across the two countries. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | Active participation in the International Biofilm Standards Task Group |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk/international-standards-task-group/ |
| Description | Formation of the International Biofilm Standards Task Group with our partners at CBE and SNBC (Jeremy Webb and Mark Richardson) |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk/international-standards-task-group/ |
| Description | 'Biofilm Alliance: A Network for Regulatory Sciences, Academic Research, and Industry Collaboration - Implementation Phase |
| Amount | £401,730 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10139476 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2024 |
| End | 11/2025 |
| Description | Biofilm Alliance: A Network for Regulatory Sciences, Academic Research, and Industry Collaboration |
| Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10110936 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 08/2024 |
| Description | CA23152 - Building Consensus on Biofilm Regulatory Decision Making (RegulatoryToolBox) |
| Amount | € 600,000 (EUR) |
| Organisation | European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 08/2024 |
| End | 09/2028 |
| Description | CBE Pathways to Product Development Meeting (Paulina Rakowska) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Annual conference bringing together researchers, industry and the US regulators to discuss regulatory frameworks in the USA and plans for future collaborations in the area of harmonised biofilm standards and methods. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC Microbe-Metal interactions workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The main objective of this workshop was to bring together key complementary academic and industry expertise and thought-leadership in biofilms, contamination of metal surfaces and biocorrosion processes across the life and physical sciences and engineering domains within NBIC, CBE and internationally in order to identify the key knowledge gaps and research challenges for future projects and research collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Workshop on Biofilm Regulations and Standardisation in Medical Devices and Pharma Sectors |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The meeting brought together a mix of representatives from industry, academia, metrology and standardisation and regulatory bodies to map the current landscape, needs, trends and expectations in biofilm standardisation within the UK and to establish industry and regulatory participation in a forward working group. Following this workshop, NBIC commissioned a review on current biofilm methods best practices, existing standards and regulatory requirements in medical devices sector (report pending) with the review of pharma sector planned for 2023. This forms a part of a larger project by the International Biofilms Standards Task Group, who are working to set up a central database of all current methodologies and standards that already exist across different sectors and regardless of the term(s) they use for biofilms e.g. "slime" and the "microbiome." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-standards-and-regulations-report/ |