National Biofilms Innovation Centre
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: School of Biological Sciences
Abstract
Microbial biofilms and communities represent, collectively, the largest biomass on the planet, with an estimated 96% of microbes on Earth found in microbial biofilms and communities rather than in a free-swimming form. Biofilms play major roles in the biology of the natural and built environments, and in maintaining public health. They are one of the biggest causes of hospital-acquired infections and can cause chronic disease.
In addition to their well-recognised role in infection and disease, they can underpin or disrupt a wide range of industrial sectors: from food and drink to oil and gas, and from the marine industries to the built environment. The annual economic significance and impact of biofilms has been estimated at ~$3,900 bn globally (approx. £45 bn in the UK).
The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) is a pan-UK Innovation and Knowledge Centre established to connect the expertise of the UK's academic community with end users in industry and the third sector. By bringing together the UK's strength in biofilm research, and combining it with the expertise of industrialists, NBIC aims to deliver new solutions and breakthrough technologies that will have an impact on day-to-day lives.
During Phase 2, as NBIC matures, we will harness the large academic and industry user base brought together over the last 4 years to focus on the development of new technologies for the prevention, detection, management and engineering of biofilm communities. We will draw on the best of our scientists and engineers to determine how best to safely design surfaces that prevent biofilms, establish methods to determine whether a problematic biofilm is present, create protocols for managing biofilms safely when they cannot be eradicated, and determine how to engineer biofilms for maximum benefit. We will do this by establishing ways of measuring biofilms that can be widely shared with the community, using advanced techniques and computational tools at our disposal. By leveraging our national connectivity, we will also establish uniform standards that can be used to guide the regulatory environment around biofilm control and exploitation.
As the predominant biomass on the planet, biofilms are susceptible to the changing environment driven by global warming, and will play an important role in new sources of energy generation. As climate change progresses, biofilm communities that are important to food and water security will also change, in ways that it is difficult to predict. As our infrastructure changes to adapt to a NetZero world, new biofilm challenges will inevitably arise.
By harnessing the strengths of our disparate community, comprising biological and physical scientists, engineers, mathematicians, social scientists, clinicians, industrialists and entrepreneurs and by training the next generation of scientists who can address complex biofilm research questions, we will place the UK at the forefront of the effort to mitigate these global challenges, leading to a sustainable and prosperous UK.
In addition to their well-recognised role in infection and disease, they can underpin or disrupt a wide range of industrial sectors: from food and drink to oil and gas, and from the marine industries to the built environment. The annual economic significance and impact of biofilms has been estimated at ~$3,900 bn globally (approx. £45 bn in the UK).
The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) is a pan-UK Innovation and Knowledge Centre established to connect the expertise of the UK's academic community with end users in industry and the third sector. By bringing together the UK's strength in biofilm research, and combining it with the expertise of industrialists, NBIC aims to deliver new solutions and breakthrough technologies that will have an impact on day-to-day lives.
During Phase 2, as NBIC matures, we will harness the large academic and industry user base brought together over the last 4 years to focus on the development of new technologies for the prevention, detection, management and engineering of biofilm communities. We will draw on the best of our scientists and engineers to determine how best to safely design surfaces that prevent biofilms, establish methods to determine whether a problematic biofilm is present, create protocols for managing biofilms safely when they cannot be eradicated, and determine how to engineer biofilms for maximum benefit. We will do this by establishing ways of measuring biofilms that can be widely shared with the community, using advanced techniques and computational tools at our disposal. By leveraging our national connectivity, we will also establish uniform standards that can be used to guide the regulatory environment around biofilm control and exploitation.
As the predominant biomass on the planet, biofilms are susceptible to the changing environment driven by global warming, and will play an important role in new sources of energy generation. As climate change progresses, biofilm communities that are important to food and water security will also change, in ways that it is difficult to predict. As our infrastructure changes to adapt to a NetZero world, new biofilm challenges will inevitably arise.
By harnessing the strengths of our disparate community, comprising biological and physical scientists, engineers, mathematicians, social scientists, clinicians, industrialists and entrepreneurs and by training the next generation of scientists who can address complex biofilm research questions, we will place the UK at the forefront of the effort to mitigate these global challenges, leading to a sustainable and prosperous UK.
Technical Summary
Our research and innovation strategy will address key fundamental biofilm challenges identified through our engagement activities across our Prevent, Detect, Manage and Engineer themes, enabling us to deliver global impact across sectors (e.g. healthcare, personal care, climate change, NetZero, food and water safety/security).
We have identified key cross-cutting biofilm research and technology development challenges for delivery in Phase 2, including:
-A linked platform of integrated imaging techniques across scales (from atoms to biofilm communities) across physical, engineering and life sciences.
-Real-time, non-destructive monitoring and advanced imaging technologies and biomarkers for biofilms.
-Integrated multi-'omics to understand polymicrobial biofilm interactions.
-Spatially resolved and addressable delivery and monitoring of new biofilm interventions.
-De novo engineering of polymicrobial communities for targeted, sector-specific applications.
-Driving synergy between biofilm standards, policy making and strategic research, responding to the needs of our national and international academic-industry community.
-Developing a roadmap for new biofilm biobanking resources and infrastructure, which have been identified by our community as critical to underpin basic science programmes as well as accelerate product development and commercialization.
-Working with relevant national partners the way biofilms power microbiomes in preparation to develop a platform of translation and innovation in this field.
In training, Phase 2 will combine our current Doctoral Training Centre in Biofilms Innovation, Technology and Engineering (BITE) with a new BBSRC funded industry-led CTP programme to launch a national CTP-BITE training programme in Oct 2022. This will be the UK's first graduate training centre to address the skills and knowledge gap in the biofilm field. Our training will be accessible to industry to ensure cross-sectoral industrial upskilling.
We have identified key cross-cutting biofilm research and technology development challenges for delivery in Phase 2, including:
-A linked platform of integrated imaging techniques across scales (from atoms to biofilm communities) across physical, engineering and life sciences.
-Real-time, non-destructive monitoring and advanced imaging technologies and biomarkers for biofilms.
-Integrated multi-'omics to understand polymicrobial biofilm interactions.
-Spatially resolved and addressable delivery and monitoring of new biofilm interventions.
-De novo engineering of polymicrobial communities for targeted, sector-specific applications.
-Driving synergy between biofilm standards, policy making and strategic research, responding to the needs of our national and international academic-industry community.
-Developing a roadmap for new biofilm biobanking resources and infrastructure, which have been identified by our community as critical to underpin basic science programmes as well as accelerate product development and commercialization.
-Working with relevant national partners the way biofilms power microbiomes in preparation to develop a platform of translation and innovation in this field.
In training, Phase 2 will combine our current Doctoral Training Centre in Biofilms Innovation, Technology and Engineering (BITE) with a new BBSRC funded industry-led CTP programme to launch a national CTP-BITE training programme in Oct 2022. This will be the UK's first graduate training centre to address the skills and knowledge gap in the biofilm field. Our training will be accessible to industry to ensure cross-sectoral industrial upskilling.
Organisations
- University of Southampton (Co-funder, Lead Research Organisation)
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (Collaboration)
- Agri-EPI Centre Ltd (Collaboration)
- University of Porto (Collaboration)
- BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (Collaboration)
- Danish Fundamental Metrology (Collaboration)
- University of Warwick (Collaboration)
- University of Bradford (Collaboration)
- Nottingham Trent University (Collaboration)
- Northumbria University (Collaboration)
- Government of Scotland (Collaboration)
- Medicines Discovery Catapult (Collaboration)
- Concert Bio (Collaboration)
- Bangor University (Collaboration)
- Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) Ltd (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA (Collaboration)
- Bruker Corporation (Collaboration)
- Newcastle University (Collaboration)
- Institute Josef Stefan (Collaboration)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- University of Leicester (Collaboration)
- Montana State University (Collaboration)
- AGA NANOTECH LTD (Collaboration)
- Angel Guard (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Institute for Natural Resources and Agrobiology (Collaboration)
- MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Queen's University Belfast (Collaboration)
- SETsquared Partnership (Collaboration)
- Lactosan GmbH & Co KG (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- Cardiff Metropolitan University (Collaboration)
- Ulster University (Collaboration)
- Haleon (Collaboration)
- Unilever (Collaboration)
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC) (Collaboration)
- Swansea University (Collaboration)
- ShimyaTech Ltd (Collaboration)
- Virustatic Shield Ltd (Collaboration)
- University of Portsmouth (Collaboration)
- University of Hertfordshire (Collaboration)
- Smith and Nephew (Collaboration)
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (Collaboration)
- Quorn Foods Limited (Collaboration)
- HIGH VALUE MANUFACTURING CATAPULT (Collaboration)
- Detectronic Ltd (Collaboration)
- University of Surrey (Collaboration)
- QUADRAM INSTITUTE BIOSCIENCE (Collaboration)
- Ohio State University (Collaboration)
- Cardiff University (Collaboration)
- University of Plymouth (Collaboration)
- University of Ljubljana (Collaboration)
- National Biofilms Innovation Centre (Collaboration)
- X-Chem, Inc (Collaboration)
- Keele University (Collaboration)
- University of Liverpool (Collaboration)
- Tecrea (Collaboration)
- University of the West of Scotland (Collaboration)
- BioMonde (Collaboration)
- National University of Mar del Plata (Collaboration)
- Symcel AB (Collaboration)
- CC Biotech (Collaboration)
- University of Southampton (Collaboration)
- UK Health Security Agency (Collaboration)
- SNIPR Biome Ltd. (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM (Collaboration)
- University of Sheffield (Collaboration)
- OPEN UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Italian Institute of Technology (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia IIT) (Collaboration)
- Nanyang Technological University (Collaboration)
- National Measurement Laboratory (Collaboration)
- Endures (Collaboration)
- KING'S COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- Dyson (Collaboration)
- Teesside University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF READING (Collaboration)
- QBiotics (Collaboration)
- Glasgow Caledonian University (Collaboration)
- Gencoa (Collaboration)
- De Montfort University (Collaboration)
- CytaCoat (Collaboration)
- Scottish Water (Collaboration)
- Project Seagrass (Collaboration)
Publications
Abdian P
(2024)
Creating pathways for collaboration between Argentina and the UK to utilise microbial biofilms in sustainable agriculture
in CABI Agriculture and Bioscience
Abduljalil H
(2025)
Lactams Exhibit Potent Antifungal Activity Against Monospecies and Multispecies Interkingdom Biofilms on a Novel Hydrogel Skin Model.
in APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica
Alodaini D
(2024)
Reduced peptidoglycan synthesis capacity impairs growth of E. coli at high salt concentration.
in mBio
Arbour CA
(2023)
Defining early steps in Bacillus subtilis biofilm biosynthesis.
in mBio
Arnaouteli S
(2023)
Lateral interactions govern self-assembly of the bacterial biofilm matrix protein BslA.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Baggio BF
(2025)
Detection of Bacterial Activity via Reduction of Prussian Blue Thin Films as Probed by Raman Spectroscopy.
in ACS omega
Bamford NC
(2024)
TasA Fibre Interactions Are Necessary for Bacillus subtilis Biofilm Structure.
in Molecular microbiology
Bamford NC
(2023)
Microbial Primer: An introduction to biofilms - what they are, why they form and their impact on built and natural environments.
in Microbiology (Reading, England)
| Title | Artwork, composition, creative writing, and film/animation entries to NBIC's 2024 Biofilm Create! Competition. |
| Description | NBIC received 17 entries to the Art category the 2024 Biofilm Create! Competition. The winning images (https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-create-competition-winners-2024/) were: 1st Place: Callum Highmore from the University of Southampton. 'Biofilm Management': Acrylic on canvas, 60cm x 60cm. A representation of the antibiotic apocalypse taken to a panicked extreme, with choking colour, a biofilm tidal wave, and a recalibration of scale between microbe and humanity. 2nd Place: Jonathan Biddulph. 'Microbe Me': A microbial self-portrait, created by overlaying a backlit photographic portrait (by Joel Peck) with an agar plate, which the artist inoculated with microbes swabbed from his own face and head with sterilised artist brushes and water. 3rd Place: Matthew Hendren from the University of Southampton. 'Entropy': Timelapses of medium-format film photographs, taken and developed by myself, then suspended in agar jelly before being inoculated with mould. As the moulds grow, they alter the dyes in the photographic prints, resulting in chromatic distortion. These clips are accompanied by an original musical composition, and are part of a larger series exploring the importance of decomposing organisms, the fragility of the human condition and the cyclical nature of existence, with death giving birth to new life. Individuals photographed (in order): Thomas Kral, Rhys Potter, Kai Groves and Joshua Lynch. The full list of art pieces submitted can be found here https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-art/ |
| Type Of Art | Artwork |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | The Art category of Biofilm Create! brings the intriguing world of biofilms to life through artistic expression. This category showcases a collection of artworks inspired by biofilm research, highlighting the beauty and complexity of these microbial communities. NBIC's annual Biofilm Create! Art and Photography Competitionsupports our #BiofilmAware campaign, which raises awareness of biofilm research and its many societal and economic impacts. |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-art/ |
| Title | Artwork, composition, creative writing, and film/animation entries to NBIC's 2024 Biofilm Create! Competition. |
| Description | NBIC received 18 entries to the Art category the 2024 Biofilm Create! Competition. The winning images (https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-create-competition-2023/) were: 1st Place: Kelly Capper-Parkin, Sheffield Hallam University. 'Life and Death in Thread': Wool stitching onto black fabric mimics both the alive and the dead cells of a biofilm formed by the wound pathogen P. aeruginosa. Based on an image captured by confocal microscopy, the biofilm layers cells upon cells and spreads further and further. A cautionary tale of the perseverance of wound infection causing bacteria. 2nd Place: Anna Romachney. 'Symbiotic Culture of Art': A textiles production of SCOBY which had been inspired by the gram stained images taken under a microscope of SCOBY I had grown. SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast and forms during Kombucha making. The kombucha can be drunk but the SCOBY shows potential for being a sustainable material in fashion. 3rd Place: Cerys Heys and Louis Cook, University of Southampton. 'Bio Reel': "Bio Reel" is an animation inspired by the process of biolfims forming. The music was created first, with the sequenced bass part reflecting bacteria gradually attaching to a surface. The sequenced bass part builds up with multiple notes - this has both a slightly random but structured feel, being a looping sequence but with lots of syncopation and no particular relationship between each note. This helps the electronic synth have a more natural feel but still represented the structured state bacteria within biofilms live in. The oscillating pitch on the pads reflects the movement of the biofilms, which involves extension and retraction. The visuals were initially created in response to the music, with the slide reel style and glitch aesthetic inspired by a slide reel we recently found in a charity shop, and the white noise generated by the Farfisa Organ emulator used in the music. The slightly creepy aesthetic follows my interest in surrealist and horror music. The visuals are based on bacteria attaching to a surface, losing their flagella and the biofilm growing across surfaces. We also took inspiration from quorum sensing, and created some zig zag lines in the visuals to try and represent this in an abstract way. We hope you enjoy! The full list of art pieces submitted can be found here https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-art/ |
| Type Of Art | Artwork |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The Art category of Biofilm Create! brings the intriguing world of biofilms to life through artistic expression. This category showcases a collection of artworks inspired by biofilm research, highlighting the beauty and complexity of these microbial communities. NBIC's annual Biofilm Create! Art and Photography Competitionsupports our #BiofilmAware campaign, which raises awareness of biofilm research and its many societal and economic impacts. |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-art/ |
| Title | Artwork, composition, creative writing, and film/animation entries to NBIC's 2025 Biofilm Create! Competition. |
| Description | Art Category Winners 1st Place: Sanika Pradhan from ASCUS Art and Science Lab, Edinburgh. 'Silent Communication'. Biofilms are self-organised architectures born from collaboration and adaptation. This version focuses on structure as narrative, how living materials build and reshape their environment. The piece becomes a monochrome landscape of life, where every texture, the rough mycelium and the translucent kombucha cellulose, embodies microbial intelligence. This is a perfect example of silent communication. In this science-art piece, Silent Communication highlights that life's greatest competition is for connection. 2nd Place: Emma Wright from Cardiff University. 'Microbial Relationships'. These paintings are inspired by the artist's research into the microbial relationships that exist within the biofilms of chronic wound infections. The left piece abstractly explores synergy within a biofilm, expressed through smooth, swirling forms and harmonious colour transitions. In contrast, the right piece embodies competition, conveyed through sharp edges and the heightened tension between colours. Together, they reflect the complex metabolic networks that govern cooperation and conflict among microorganisms - interactions that play a crucial role in the potentiation of non-healing in chronic wounds. 3rd Place: Lavanya Sharma from the University of Southampton. 'Machine Liquidity'. Machine Liquidity is an exploration of how artificial systems can emulate the complexity and fluidity of organic phenomena. This eight-part video series investigates the essence of water-not by capturing it, but by reconstructing it through code. Built entirely in TouchDesigner, each video represents a different computational interpretation of flow, turbulence, reflection, and refraction, rendered through generative algorithms. |
| Type Of Art | Artwork |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Impact | The Art category of Biofilm Create! brings the intriguing world of biofilms to life through artistic expression. This category showcases a collection of artworks inspired by biofilm research, highlighting the beauty and complexity of these microbial communities. NBIC's annual Biofilm Create! Art and Photography Competitionsupports our #BiofilmAware campaign, which raises awareness of biofilm research and its many societal and economic impacts. |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-create-competition-2025-winners/ |
| Title | Biofilms VR experience |
| Description | A Virtual Reality (VR) experience about biofilms and biophysics research. |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The VR experience will be used at NBIC public engagement events moving forwards to raise awareness of biofilms among attendees. |
| Title | Coccus Pocus 2023 Winning Stories |
| Description | In autumn 2023, the University of Hull launched their annual scary story competition for Halloween: Coccus Pocus! The event was organised for a fifth time, following four successful runs. NBIC supported the competition as part of our #BiofilmAware campaign, which is all about helping people to understand what biofilms are. The contestants were encouraged to write a short horror or sci-fi story between 500 and 2,000 words, including themes of antimicrobial resistance and/or microbial biofilms. The evaluation committee ranked stories according to the intrigue of their plot, use of language, character description and scientific soundness. The winning stories can be read here: https://biofilms.ac.uk/coccus-pocus-2023-winning-stories/ |
| Type Of Art | Creative Writing |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/coccus-pocus-2023-winning-stories/ |
| Title | Images of Microbiology 2 |
| Description | A series of images taken by scientists based at the University of Dundee that highlight the microbes they work with. It is the second edition in the series showcasing the diverse array of work undertaken. |
| Type Of Art | Image |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Impact | Showcases the biofilms research taking place at the University of Dundee and supported by NBIC. |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.20933/100001368 |
| Title | Photography entries to NBIC's 2023 Biofilm Create! Competition. |
| Description | NBIC received 41 entries to the Photography category the 2024 Biofilm Create! Competition. The winning images (https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-create-competition-2023/) were: 1st Place: Mark Burton, University of Southampton. 'Furry Friends': Description: A thick, dark biofilm has formed on an abandoned drink, and forms the foundation for the growth of a plethora of mould, established over many weeks. A biofilm is a group of microorganisms that include bacteria, yeasts or fungi, and protozoa, and accumulates on surfaces exposed to water and nutrients that support bacterial life. 2nd Place: Huan Ma and Xiayi Liu, University of Bristol. 'Bacterial planet': A long time ago, in a microbial universe far, far away. There existed a drab planet where burning desert sands spread all over its surface, and red lava rivers roared deafeningly (left image). It appeared as though no microbes could survive on this harsh planet. However, life, even on a microscopic scale, has an uncanny ability to create miracles. Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) discovered a way to thrive on this unforgiving planet. They migrated from the ground to the planet's interior and established a thriving and vibrant bacterial metropolis (right image). In this underground bacterial city, each bacterium was interconnected by a network of extracellular polymeric substances, which facilitated the sharing of information and nutrients. Together, they formed a resilient, unified front against the planet's hostile environment. The images were captured using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and false coloured using Adobe Photoshop. We immobilized L. lactis cells within polymer vesicles, allowing the bacteria to grow and form biofilms inside these vesicles. The resulting hybrid bacterial vesicles proved to be highly effective in the production of lactic acid. It offers a promising new approach to harnessing biofilms for various practical applications in our daily lives. 3rd Place: Sean Booth, University of Oxford. 'Chemotactic Carnage': As bacteria attach to a surface to form a biofilm, many cells burst, releasing red-stained DNA, which is a key polymer in biofilms. In this microfluidic cell, nutrients and time flow from left to right. A gradient of antibiotics from top to bottom counterintuitively attracts cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to crawl upwards. The antibiotic triggers the production of their own return fire 'tailocins' in elongated and blue cells, to attack the perceived competitor. These cells then burst, releasing their attack and red-stained DNA, which accumulates over time, filling the biofilm. The full list of images submitted can be found here https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-image-gallery/ |
| Type Of Art | Image |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The Photography category showcases biofilms' intricate structures and beauty and the images provide a unique insight into the world of biofilm research. The Biofilm Create! Art and Photography Competition supports NBIC's BiofilmAware campaign, which raises awareness of biofilm research and biofilms' many societal and economic impacts. |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-image-gallery/ |
| Title | Photography entries to NBIC's 2024 Biofilm Create! Competition. |
| Description | NBIC received 27 entries to the Photography category the 2024 Biofilm Create! Competition. The winning images (https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-create-competition-winners-2024/) were: 1st Place: Jontana Allkja from the University of Liverpool. 'Biofilm River': Natural biofilms at Yellowstone National Park, formed over millions of years. 2nd Place: Amy Foo Guest from the University of Liverpool. 'Connectivity and co-existence in mixed biofilm': This image shows two bacterial species peaceful co-existing and forming a complex biofilm community. The image has been false-coloured to represent the two different species. 3rd Place: Jennifer Dewing from the University of Southampton. 'Biofilm Bubble Landscape 3': Macro image of bacteria and mould left to grow on cup of tea for several weeks. Biofilms are complex communities of microbes that are bound by an extracellular macromolecular matrix, which they produce themselves. Biofilms offer protection to the microorganisms embedded in them, enables sharing of nutrients and metabolites, and increases their resistance to environmental stress. The full list of images submitted can be found here https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-image-gallery/ |
| Type Of Art | Image |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | The Photography category showcases biofilms' intricate structures and beauty and the images provide a unique insight into the world of biofilm research. The Biofilm Create! Art and Photography Competition supports NBIC's BiofilmAware campaign, which raises awareness of biofilm research and biofilms' many societal and economic impacts. |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-image-gallery/ |
| Title | Photography entries to NBIC's 2025 Biofilm Create! Competition. |
| Description | Photography Category Winners 1st Place: Stuart Woodcock from Isomerase. 'Bacillus Biofilm Timelapse'. A composite image illustrating the formation of a Bacillus subtillis biofilm over time. 2nd Place: Brogan Richards from the University of Nottingham. 'Reaching Out'. False coloured SEM micrograph of P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and C. albicans polymicrobial biofilms grown on synthetic cystic fibrosis sputum media. 3rd Place: Eleftheria Trampari from the Quadram Institute. 'Making Waves'. Evolution in action. This image captures Salmonella enterica adapting to life within a biofilm. Over successive generations, genetic changes ripple through the population, leading to more structured, resilient, and visually distinct biofilm patterns. This photograph highlights the dynamic beauty of bacterial evolution and the complexity that underlies even the simplest forms of life. |
| Type Of Art | Image |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Impact | The Photography category showcases biofilms' intricate structures and beauty and the images provide a unique insight into the world of biofilm research. The Biofilm Create! Art and Photography Competition supports NBIC's BiofilmAware campaign, which raises awareness of biofilm research and biofilms' many societal and economic impacts. |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-create-competition-2025-winners/ |
| Title | School of Life Sciences Research Jigsaw Puzzles |
| Description | Six images showcasing the diverse and impactful research undertaken by researchers at the School of Life Sciences. Each image is available to print in two sizes: •186 x 186 mm to create a 49-piece jigsaw puzzle •496 x 366 mm to create a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle An accompanying insert provides further information on each image. |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | - |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.20933/100001317 |
| Title | Snakes and Ladders for a healthy brain |
| Description | Giant snakes and ladders game and electronic game |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Change is risk awareness for dementia in the general public, novel research collaborations, new community network/PPIE |
| URL | https://jaysta.itch.io/health-aging-snakes-and-ladders-quiz |
| Description | Microbial biofilms and communities represent, collectively, the largest biomass activity on the planet, with an estimated 96% of microbes on Earth found in microbial biofilms and communities rather than in a free-swimming form. Biofilms play major roles in the biology of the natural and built environments, and in maintaining public health. They are one of the biggest causes of hospital-acquired infections and can cause chronic disease. In addition to their well-recognised role in infection and disease, they can underpin or disrupt a wide range of industrial sectors: from food and drink to oil and gas, and from the marine industries to the built environment. The annual economic significance and impact of biofilms has been estimated at ~$3,900 bn globally (approx. £45 bn in the UK). The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) is a pan-UK Innovation and Knowledge Centre established to connect the expertise of the UK's academic community with end users in industry and the third sector. NBIC continues to deliver a range of impacts across discovery science, innovation, and training that are advancing biofilm research and delivering growth for the UK economy. |
| Exploitation Route | Biofilms are relevant across a range of sectors, industries and scientific challenges and opportunities. NBIC is connecting together an ecosystem of research and industry partners engaged in addressing unmet needs and this is creating many translation applications and opportunities that are being pursued across the partnership. |
| Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Construction Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Energy Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk |
| Description | Biofilms are relevant across a range of sectors, industries and scientific challenges and opportunities. NBIC is connecting together an ecosystem of research and industry partners engaged in addressing unmet needs and this is creating many translation applications and opportunities that are being pursued across the partnership. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Construction,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Societal Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | Appointment of NTU Consortium Director to Drug Discovery Compnay Scientific Advisory Group (Dr Samantha McLean) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | http://www.metallobio.com/ |
| Description | Association for Material Protection and Performance (AMPP) |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | BSI CH216/3 Committee Task Group on Biofilms and Products |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Responsible for the UK input to CEN/TC 216 and ISO/TC 330. |
| URL | https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/committees/50081157 |
| Description | CA20130 - European MIC Network - New paths for science, sustainability and standards (Euro-MIC) |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA20130/#tabs+Name:Description |
| Description | Invitation to review - SBRI Healthcare - September 2024 (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://sbrihealthcare.co.uk/ |
| Description | Membership of CEN/TC 216 Working Group 5 - Strategy Group |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | The group works to establish cross-working group standards and guidance with regard to the standards developed within CEN/TC 216, and regular updating of EN 14885 "Application of European Standards for chemical disinfectants and antiseptics" and EN 12353 "Chemical disinfectants and antiseptics - Preservation of test organisms used for the determination of bactericidal (including Legionella), mycobactericidal, sporicidal, fungicidal and virucidal (including bacteriophages) activity". |
| URL | https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/tc/cen/fbbaa2b7-d92f-4441-bd2e-e54be650bb8f/cen-tc-216-wg-5 |
| Description | Oral evidence given Science and Technology Committee on "The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8791/the-antimicrobial-potential-of-bacteriophages/ |
| Description | PATH-SAFE Science Advisory Group (SAG) (Prof. Nicola Holden) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.food.gov.uk/our-work/pathogen-surveillance-in-agriculture-food-and-environment-programme |
| Description | SEFARI Specialist Advisory Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://sefari.scot/news/sefari-specialist-advisory-group-call-for-experts-to-join-resas-led-project... |
| Description | Scottish Alliance for Food: Advisory Steering Board Member (Prof. Nicola Holden) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/scaf/ |
| Description | Scottish Alliance for Food: Advisory Steering Board Member (Professor Nicola Holden) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/scaf/ |
| Description | Technical meeting on "The Role of Nuclear Techniques to Address Nutritional Challenges in the 21st Century", hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (Dr Fatima Pereira) |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Written Evidence to the Department of Health and Social Care AMR national Action Plan |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Written Evidence to the UK Parliament "Industrial Strategy" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8882/industrial-strategy/#:~:text=This%20inquiry%20is%20curren... |
| Description | Written Evidence to the UK Parliament "Soft power: a strategy for UK success?" inquiry |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8798/soft-power-a-strategy-for-uk-success/ |
| Description | Written evidence submitted and published to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry into Engineering Biology. |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/130249/html/ |
| Description | Written evidence to "Financing and Scaling UK Science and Technology: Innovation, Investment, Industry" inquiry by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/141609/html/ |
| Description | Written evidence to "International climate policy" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9401/international-climate-policy/ |
| Description | Written evidence to "Science diplomacy" inquiry by the UK Parliament's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/141607/html/ |
| Description | Written evidence to "The Environment in focus Inquiry" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9336/the-environment-in-focus/ |
| Description | Written evidence to "Under the microscope" inquiry by the UK Parliament's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8806/under-the-microscope/ |
| Description | Written evidence to Scottish Parliament Area of Research Interests (ARIs) "Area of Research Interest: Climate Emissions from Waste Management and Resource Use" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/research-prepared-for-parliament/academic-engagem... |
| Description | A brighter future cutting-edge multiphoton imaging at Nottingham |
| Amount | £1,335,948 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/X019241/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2023 |
| End | 07/2024 |
| Description | A microfluidic system and confocal microscope for the molecular and mechanistic characterisation of microbial biofilms |
| Amount | £433,729 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/X019101/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2023 |
| End | 07/2024 |
| Description | Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard: Accessory gene drive competition within the cystic fibrosis lung microbiota |
| Amount | £124,749 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2024 |
| End | 08/2026 |
| Description | Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard: Teaching an old drug new tricks, exploring drug repurposing to combat chronic vaginal infections |
| Amount | £99,999 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | SBF008\1043 |
| Organisation | Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 09/2025 |
| Description | Accessory gene drive competition within the cystic fibrosis lung microbiota |
| Amount | £124,749 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | SBF009\1062 |
| Organisation | Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2024 |
| End | 08/2026 |
| Description | Accurate, Rapid, Robust and Economical One Health DiagnoSTics for antimicrobial resistance (ARREST-AMR) |
| Amount | £617,873 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2024 |
| End | 07/2027 |
| Description | Alternative Proteins Innovation and Knowledge Centre |
| Amount | £16,001,352 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2024 |
| End | 08/2029 |
| Description | Assessing The Efficacy of a Novel, Eco-Friendly Non-Newtonian Fluid on the Removal of Microbial Biofilms |
| Amount | £7,500 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Interface |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2023 |
| End | 10/2023 |
| Description | Bacterial Biofilm Matrix Remodelling in Complex and Dynamic Environment |
| Amount | £76,948 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2025 |
| End | 09/2029 |
| 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 | 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 | Bubbles for Breaking Bone Biofilms |
| Amount | £326,172 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ID2023/100001 |
| Organisation | Rosetrees Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2024 |
| End | 06/2027 |
| 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 | Clinical Translation of MX-Raman: a Rapid and Reagentless Clinical Biofilm Characterisation and AMR Profiling Workflow |
| Amount | £29,852 (GBP) |
| Organisation | National Institute for Health and Care Research |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2023 |
| End | 04/2024 |
| Description | Confidence in Concept (CiC) Follow-on funding / Development of drugs to combat bacterial biofilms |
| Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | RG84584 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2023 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Customer discovery and market access planning for light-activated antimicrobial wound care product |
| Amount | £99,993 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10108236 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | DFG Priority Programmes: Productive Biofilms Systems |
| Amount | € 6,500,000 (EUR) |
| Organisation | German Research Foundation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | Germany |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2030 |
| Description | Data-Driven Design of Synthetic Niches for Precision Control of Microbiome Dynamics |
| Amount | £91,373 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10111369 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2024 |
| End | 07/2025 |
| Description | Designing bio-instructive materials for translation ready medical devices |
| Amount | £4,074,945 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/X001156/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 02/2027 |
| Description | Determining structural dynamics of membrane proteins in their native environment: focus on bacterial antibiotic resistance (Future Leaders Fellowship) |
| Amount | £581,873 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MR/X009580/1 |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2024 |
| End | 01/2027 |
| Description | Developing Human Skin Microbiota Models to Replace Rodent Studies and Explore Host-Microbe Interactions |
| Amount | £390,189 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NC/Z500690/1 |
| Organisation | National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2024 |
| End | 11/2026 |
| Description | Development & pre-commercialisation of workflow enabling rapid bacteria and microplastics identification using MX-Raman (Impact Acceleration Account) |
| Amount | £72,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | Development of a point of care lateral flow device for the detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and business planning activities |
| Amount | £24,962 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | East Midlands Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy Facility for the Evaluation of Complex Biological Applications |
| Amount | £408,593 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Z515760/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2024 |
| End | 06/2025 |
| Description | Elucidating the Mechanism of Action of Breast Milk-Derived Synbiotic Consortia in Establishing a Healthy Infant Gut |
| Amount | £99,936 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10108592 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 11/2024 |
| Description | Enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion in BBSRC-funded networks |
| Amount | £98,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 44017 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2024 |
| End | 09/2025 |
| Description | Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre |
| Amount | £11,610,427 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Y008332/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2024 |
| End | 03/2029 |
| Description | Evaluation of the interactions of a novel live biotherapeutic product for the treatment of gut inflammation with the GI tract in an in vitro model |
| Amount | £92,436 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10111751 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 04/2025 |
| Description | Failure Modes of Engineering (FeME): a network for future inclusivity, sustainability, and global impact |
| Amount | £1,808,135 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | UKRI393 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| End | 04/2028 |
| Description | Full Spectrum Cell Sorter for Nottingham and the Midlands |
| Amount | £748,011 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | APP28033 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2024 |
| End | 07/2025 |
| Description | IR Focal Plane Array Detector Microscope |
| Amount | £200,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2023 |
| End | 07/2024 |
| Description | Joint data- and model-driven attention-based integration of imaging, proteomics, and metabolic modelling |
| Amount | £416,073 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Y01278X/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2024 |
| End | 05/2027 |
| Description | METzero - Retroffittable Wastewater Treatment technology that saves money, increases capacity and recovers hydrogen from wastewater |
| Amount | £298,139 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10101612 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 04/2025 |
| Description | Maestro Pro multiwell microelectrode array for the University of Liverpool electrophysiology suite: Cell physiology meets high throughput. |
| Amount | £248,458 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/X019357/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2023 |
| End | 07/2024 |
| Description | Mechanism of Action and Lead Optimisation of a Novel Antimicrobial Class |
| Amount | £322,266 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10051341 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2023 |
| End | 05/2024 |
| Description | Microbials Accelerator Programme |
| Amount | £499,999 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 12/2023 |
| Description | Modulating Host-Microbial Pathways to Prevent Diabetic Foot Ulcer-Related Amputations |
| Amount | £346,453 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 24/0006760 |
| Organisation | Diabetes UK |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| End | 03/2028 |
| Description | NBIC Regional Enhancement |
| Amount | £1,000,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | NBIC Regional Growth funding 2022/23 |
| Amount | £250,149 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | NBIC Regional Growth funding 2023/4 to 2027/28 |
| Amount | £749,851 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 05/2028 |
| Description | National Biofilms Innovation Centre - FTMA |
| Amount | £315,127 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Z515152/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2027 |
| Description | Nottingham Research Fellowship |
| Amount | £328,304 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2023 |
| End | 09/2026 |
| Description | Nottingham Research Fellowship |
| Amount | £281,477 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 04/2027 |
| Description | Novel antimicrobial technology to reduce Hospital Acquired Infections |
| Amount | £72,290 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10111989 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 10/2024 |
| Description | Phage Journeys: Unraveling Prophage and Anti-phage systems Mobilisation in P. aeruginosa for Enhanced Phage Therapy Efficacy |
| Amount | £1,537,205 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| End | 03/2030 |
| Description | Pre-spin out incorporation activities for a lateral flow diagnostic for Pseudomnas aeruginosa |
| Amount | £18,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2023 |
| End | 02/2024 |
| Description | Preclinical validation of evolution-designed, AI-discovered, synthetically printed biologic molecules for Chronic and MDR Lower Respiratory Tract Infections |
| Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10112513 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | Preventing Cardiovascular Implant Infections |
| Amount | £99,996 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10112429 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 02/2025 |
| Description | Prototype development of a point of care lateral flow (Impact Acceleration Account) |
| Amount | £74,485 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 06/2024 |
| Description | Raman-on-a-chip for label-free and culture-free identification of VBNCs |
| Amount | £17,917 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Wessex Medical Research |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | Rapid detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in people with cystic fibrosis |
| Amount | £299,684 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10103495 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | Realtime wireless monitoring of inflammation for improved healthcare outcomes |
| Amount | £960,320 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MR/Z505821/1 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2025 |
| End | 01/2027 |
| Description | SBRI 22 Phase 1 - Delivering a Net Zero NHS (P/M) |
| Amount | £83,323 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | SBRIH22P1022 |
| Organisation | Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | SBRI Competition 22 Phase 2 - Delivering a Net Zero NHS: Clinical Innovation Competition (Dr Sandra Wilks) |
| Amount | £500,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | SBRIH22P2007 |
| Organisation | Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 02/2025 |
| Description | SEPAL fellowship on Resource recovery from waste |
| Amount | £9,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2026 |
| End | 06/2026 |
| Description | Screening of monoclonal antibodies for incorporation into a lateral flow test |
| Amount | £20,030 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2023 |
| End | 08/2023 |
| Description | Summer Vacation Scholarship |
| Amount | £2,500 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Society for Applied Microbiology |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2023 |
| End | 08/2023 |
| Description | Systemic infections accelerate tau spreading by promoting glial activation (PhD studentship) |
| Amount | £155,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Alzheimer's Research UK |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | The Feasibility of Microbial Mosquito Repellents |
| Amount | £99,991 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10109526 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 04/2025 |
| Description | Uncovering the antimicrobial and antibiotic potentiating mechanism of acesulfame-K and maximising its topical therapeutic potential |
| Amount | £620,433 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MR/Y001354/1 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2023 |
| End | 10/2026 |
| Description | University of Edinburgh contribution to NBIC regional enhancement |
| Amount | £367,263 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | University of Liverpool contribution to NBIC regional enhancement |
| Amount | £200,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | University of Nottingham contribution to NBIC regional enhancement |
| Amount | £28,314,516 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | University of Southampton contribution to NBIC regional enhancement |
| Amount | £200,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | Unravel the mechanics for bacteria (U4Bacteria) |
| Amount | £192,297 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | Global |
| Start | 06/2024 |
| End | 06/2026 |
| Description | Unravelling mechanisms underpinning adaptation in Bacillus subtilis biofilms |
| Amount | £999,614 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Z516600/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| End | 09/2028 |
| Description | Use of Opsonophagocytic Assay for Serological Evaluation of SimCell vaccines against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection |
| Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10108204 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | Wessex Medical Research Innovation Grant |
| Amount | £19,990 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AE12 |
| Organisation | Wessex Medical Research |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2024 |
| End | 09/2026 |
| Description | Wolfson Foundation Grant - Science and Medicine Programme and University of Liverpool |
| Amount | £1,600,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 24452 |
| Organisation | The Wolfson Foundation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2024 |
| End | 01/2026 |
| Title | An automated AI model to detect biofilm |
| Description | As part of this research project, we developed an automated AI tool able to identify and quantify the percentage of biofilm in samples extracted from the fermentors. This is based on image-recognition patterns identified by the model in the microscope's images from different samples. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This AI tool will allow Quorn to automatically detect the percentage of biofilm in the fermentors and inform the future steps of the manufacturing process (including when to stop the fermentation process or change the fermentors' variables to reduce waste). |
| Title | Living material as an in vitro lung epithelial infection model |
| Description | Researchers have engineered a living material resembling human phlegm, which will help them to better understand how a certain kind of infection develops on the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis. |
| Type Of Material | Model of mechanisms or symptoms - in vitro |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Quote from the University of Nottingham's press release about the research (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/scientists-take-a-step-forward-in-understanding-how-to-tackle-chronic-infections-in-cystic-fibrosis-patients): "The capacity to create complex 3D biofilms in the lab in a simple manner, will lead to practical tools to better understand how these living structures form and how to treat them better. The technology developed in this study will revolutionise the way we study biofilm-mediated infections and assess the effectiveness of novel antimicrobials using different in vivo-like infection environments." |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/scientists-take-a-step-forward-in-understanding-how-to-tackle-chro... |
| Title | MX-Raman |
| Description | A Raman spectroscopy-based methodology that improves the classification accuracy of unknown microbiological samples. This has been patented with reference WO2023105219. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This work has led us to achieve further funding to advance the use of Raman spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool for infection. It has improved classification accuracy of unknown microbiological samples which we are now using in clinical samples. Using MX-Raman, we have recently built a database for an AI model to predict antimicrobial resistance profiles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, supporting use of the technology in the clinic for rapid diagnosis of infection. This work is close to publication and will be followed up with similar work identifying wastewater bacteria for rapid monitoring of wastewater treatment microbiota. |
| URL | https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02501 |
| Title | Active layer dynamics drives a transition to biofilm fingering |
| Description | The emergence of spatial organization in biofilm growth is one of the most fundamental topics in biofilm biophysics and microbiology. Characterising distinct types of biofilm spatial structure, and understanding how they emerge, can shed light on the fundamental biological and biophysical mechanisms involved, and can improve our understanding of evolution in biofilms. In particular, the relative roles of nutrient gradients and mechanical interactions between cells in controlling spatial organization remain unclear. Computer simulations have an important role to play in resolving such questions. Here, we perform long-time individual-based simulations of growing biofilms. We observe distinct types of biofilm spatial structure depending on the parameters, and we classify these into three `phases' according to the behaviour of the active layer of growing cells at the biofilm interface. In the unpinned phase, the biofilm is smooth and the active layer is unbroken with no gaps. In the transiently pinned phase, short-lived gaps in the active layer arise, which can cause local parts of the biofilm interface to pin, or become stationary relative to the moving front. In the pinned phase these `pinning sites' persist, leading to fingering of the biofilm interface. We show that pinning arises due to the dynamical behaviour of active layer gaps. Others have suggested that spatial structure is controlled by the average active layer thickness, which depends on the nutrient gradient. By revealing a central role for active layer dynamics, our work suggests that both nutrient gradients, which create active layer gaps, and mechanical interactions, which tend to close them up again, are important. We demonstrate a direct connection between biofilm pinning and interface roughness, and we show that the pinning phase transition is well described by a control parameter that combines the average and standard deviation of the active layer thickness, further highlighting the role of dynamical fluctuations. Taken together, our work suggests a role for active layer dynamics in controlling pinning of the biofilm interface and hence biofilm morphology. Here we provide the clipping code that was used to perform computationally efficient, long-time iDynoMiCS simulations of biofilm growth. In order to use the iDynoMiCS simulation software to long timescales, this code creates a biofilm simulaiton using iDynoMiCS that is split up into segments and removes cells which are not growing and are far below the interface. Each segment is like a mini iDynoMiCS simulation, but the start parameters are based on (in some cases the same as) the end parameters of the previous segment. In between each of these segments is where clipping takes place, if clipping is turned on in the input file. We also provide the iDynoMiCS start files that were used in our study. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | N/A |
| URL | https://datashare.ed.ac.uk/handle/10283/4808 |
| Title | Crystal structure of FutA after an accumulated dose of 5 kGy |
| Description | Crystal structure of FutA after an accumulated dose of 5 kGy (PDB accession code: 8OGG). Generated as part of "A redox switch allows binding of Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions in the cyanobacterial iron-binding protein FutA from Prochlorococcus" https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2308478121 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://www.rcsb.org/structure/8OGG |
| Title | Crystal structure of FutA bound to Fe(II) |
| Description | Crystal structure of FutA bound to Fe(II) (PDB accession code: 8OEM). Generated as part of "A redox switch allows binding of Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions in the cyanobacterial iron-binding protein FutA from Prochlorococcus" https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2308478121 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://www.rcsb.org/structure/8OEM |
| Title | Crystal structure of FutA bound to Fe(III) solved by neutron diffraction |
| Description | Crystal structure of FutA bound to Fe(III) solved by neutron diffraction (PDB accession code: 8RK1). Generated as part of "A redox switch allows binding of Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions in the cyanobacterial iron-binding protein FutA from Prochlorococcus" https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2308478121 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://www.rcsb.org/structure/8RK1 |
| Title | Crystallographic data for the EAL domain of RbdA |
| Description | Crystallographic data for the EAL domain of RbdA (PDB accession code: 8PPS). |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://www.wwpdb.org/pdb?id=pdb_00008pps |
| Title | Dataset accompanying the paper entitled "Control of phosphodiesterase activity in the regulator of biofilm dispersal RbdA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa " |
| Description | The raw enzme data and AlphaFold2 structures as described in the paper entitled "Control of phosphodiesterase activity in the regulator of biofilm dispersal RbdA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa" (https://doi.org/10.1039/D4CB00113C) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/493962/ |
| Title | Dataset from To promote network connectivity in colloidal-rod suspensions, end with a tip |
| Description | Data and codes to support the manuscript "To promote network connectivity in colloidal-rod suspensions, end with a tip" 10.1103/PhysRevE.111.045419 ## Abstract - Colloidal gels formed from patchy rods provide a promising platform to design novel functional materials and formulations. Yet, the case for localised interactions at the rod tips remains relatively unexplored. Here we probe the structure and dynamics of such systems by means of coarse-grained computer simulations, and show that the emerging tipped gel networks are fundamentally different to uniform ones. Structurally, tipped networks are better connected, and, unlike in the uniform gels, the connectivity increases with the length of the constituent rods. The dynamics are also fundamentally different, with the gelation time in the tipped networks (contrary to the uniform gels) exhibiting an inverse relationship with rod-length. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.7488/ds/7905 |
| Title | Dataset relating to "Antifungal coating to prevent transmission of plant pathogens in glasshouse and polytunnel agriculture" 05POC24-03 |
| Description | Dataset resulting from the NBIC funded (05POC24-03) proof-of-concept project "Antifungal coating to prevent transmission of plant pathogens in glasshouse and polytunnel agriculture". |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2026 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | N/A |
| Title | Dataset relating to the impact of different hand-drying methods |
| Description | NBIC-funded FTMA4_22_030 project generated a dataset on the impact of hand washing and drying on skin microbial communities and interactions between viruses and bacteria. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | A paper was published in the Journal of Hospital Infection (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2024.03.005). This concluded that "The use of jet dryers or paper towels produces low levels of aerosolization when drying hands in a washroom. Similarly, all drying methods result in low transfer to surfaces. While the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic raised concerns regarding public washrooms, this study shows that all methods tested are hygienic solutions for dry washed hands." |
| Title | Development of a polymicrobial colony biofilm model |
| Description | The main aim of this study was to develop and optimise a polymicrobial colony biofilm model to test commercial wound dressings |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not yet known. |
| URL | https://rdmc.nottingham.ac.uk/handle/internal/10533 |
| Title | Diffraction project datasets 8pps |
| Description | Diffraction project datasets 8pps (linked to "Control of phosphodiesterase activity in the regulator of biofilm dispersal RbdA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa" https://doi.org/10.1039/D4CB00113C) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://proteindiffraction.org/project/8pps/ |
| Title | Raw Diffraction Data for PDB 8OEM (Crystal structure of FutA bound to Fe(II)) |
| Description | Raw Diffraction Data for PDB 8OEM (Crystal structure of FutA bound to Fe(II)) (from https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2308478121) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10732657 |
| Title | SFX structure of FutA after an accumulated dose of 350 kGy |
| Description | SFX structure of FutA after an accumulated dose of 350 kGy (PDB accession code: 8OEI). Generated as part of "A redox switch allows binding of Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions in the cyanobacterial iron-binding protein FutA from Prochlorococcus" https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2308478121 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://www.rcsb.org/structure/8OEI |
| Title | SFX structure of FutA bound to Fe(III) |
| Description | SFX structure of FutA bound to Fe(III) (PDB accession code: 8C4Y). Generated as part of "A redox switch allows binding of Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions in the cyanobacterial iron-binding protein FutA from Prochlorococcus" https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2308478121 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Not known. |
| URL | https://www.rcsb.org/structure/8C4Y |
| Title | TasA fibre interactions are necessary for Bacillus subtilis biofilm structure |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/en/datasets/tasa-fibre-interactions-are-necessary-for-bacillus-subtil... |
| Description | 05POC24-01 DENTure Protection Using Remora TEChnology (DENT-ProTec) |
| Organisation | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This study aims to address the significant health and financial burden of oral biofilms. By incorporating Remora technology (LACTAM-491), an antimicrobial and antifouling material, into materials used in dentistry (e.g. dentures and retainers) we will be able to assess whether these can prevent harmful dental biofilm accumulation. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-02 Rapid Legionella identification using multi-excitation Raman spectroscopy |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Legionnaire's disease is a notifiable disease. Even with treatment, 1 in 10 affected will die. Legionella culture is slow, providing results in ~2 weeks, and delays between testing and results risks community transmission and disease outbreaks. We propose a new method for rapid-turnaround Legionella identification using our novel proprietary MX-Raman method. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-03 Antifungal plastic coating to prevent transmission of plant pathogens in glasshouse and polytunnel agriculture |
| Organisation | Gencoa |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Greenhouse crop production is a source of farmer income and provides food for people globally, however fungal pathogens cause significant crop damage. Gencoa developed an antimicrobial material coating, active against bacterial pathogens. This proof of concept project will test the Gencoa antimicrobial coating against plant fungal pathogens. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-03 Antifungal plastic coating to prevent transmission of plant pathogens in glasshouse and polytunnel agriculture |
| Organisation | Nottingham Trent University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Greenhouse crop production is a source of farmer income and provides food for people globally, however fungal pathogens cause significant crop damage. Gencoa developed an antimicrobial material coating, active against bacterial pathogens. This proof of concept project will test the Gencoa antimicrobial coating against plant fungal pathogens. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-04 Development of Novel Inorganic Antibiofilm Urinary Catheter Coating |
| Organisation | Nottingham Trent University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Catheter-associated urinary tract infections account for >23% of hospital-acquired infections and are predominantly driven by biofilm formation on catheters. Current catheters provideminimal resistance to biofilm formation. This project will develop novel proof-of-concept antibiofilm medical catheter coatings to substantially reduce the incidence and severity of biofilm-related infection in patients. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet . |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-05 Microbiota Interventions for Optimised Food Safety |
| Organisation | Concert Bio |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Hydroponic systems enable efficient plant growth. However, they lack native microbiota, making them vulnerable to colonisation by plant and human pathogens. We will assemble and test microbial communities for foodborne disease control and yield improvement. This project addresses the microbiome imbalance in hydroponics to create safer, more sustainable food systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-05 Microbiota Interventions for Optimised Food Safety |
| Organisation | Quadram Institute Bioscience |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Hydroponic systems enable efficient plant growth. However, they lack native microbiota, making them vulnerable to colonisation by plant and human pathogens. We will assemble and test microbial communities for foodborne disease control and yield improvement. This project addresses the microbiome imbalance in hydroponics to create safer, more sustainable food systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-06 EPIC: Effective Phage Products to Improve Chronic Wound Outcomes |
| Organisation | Bangor University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Develop a sustainable treatment for chronic wounds, by combining LAP (Larval Alimentary Product) with phages. Chronic wounds are hard to treat and complicated by pathogenic infections and biofilms, LAP has antibiofilm properties, while phages supplement this with antimicrobial properties. Our approach seeks to improve wound management and reduce antibiotic use. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-06 EPIC: Effective Phage Products to Improve Chronic Wound Outcomes |
| Organisation | BioMonde |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Develop a sustainable treatment for chronic wounds, by combining LAP (Larval Alimentary Product) with phages. Chronic wounds are hard to treat and complicated by pathogenic infections and biofilms, LAP has antibiofilm properties, while phages supplement this with antimicrobial properties. Our approach seeks to improve wound management and reduce antibiotic use. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-07 Biofilm Inhibition and Pathogen Control in Food Production Environments |
| Organisation | Quadram Institute Bioscience |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Biofilms endure in food production environments despite rigorous cleaning, potentially harbouring pathogens that can contaminate food. Silane-coupled quaternary ammonium compounds (Si-Quats) prevent biofilm formation, but their efficacy against foodborne pathogens, like Listeria monocytogenes, remains unexplored. We will use advanced methods (calScreener) to investigate their efficacy in eliminating biofilms and pathogens. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-07 Biofilm Inhibition and Pathogen Control in Food Production Environments |
| Organisation | Symcel AB |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Biofilms endure in food production environments despite rigorous cleaning, potentially harbouring pathogens that can contaminate food. Silane-coupled quaternary ammonium compounds (Si-Quats) prevent biofilm formation, but their efficacy against foodborne pathogens, like Listeria monocytogenes, remains unexplored. We will use advanced methods (calScreener) to investigate their efficacy in eliminating biofilms and pathogens. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-08 Development of a High-validity In Vitro Endotracheal Tube (IVETT) Biofilm Growth Platform for Basic and Translational Research |
| Organisation | University of Warwick |
| Department | Warwick Evidence |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Biofilms grow in the endotracheal tubes that connect hospital patients to ventilators. Biofilm-associated microbes can colonise the lungs, causing pneumonia. We are building a device to grow biofilms in endotracheal tubes, in conditions resembling those in patients. This will be used to test new interventions to prevent and remove biofilms. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-09 Assessing the Effects of Novel Non-toxic Precursor Molecules in Biofilms and Reepithelialisation of Human Skin Explant Wound Healing Models |
| Organisation | AGA Nanotech Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This study will explore the biofilm efficacy, biocompatibility and re-epithelisation of delivering of non-toxic precursor molecules, that are encapsulated in PLGA generating peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide in situ in an ex-vivo human skin explant model. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-09 Assessing the Effects of Novel Non-toxic Precursor Molecules in Biofilms and Reepithelialisation of Human Skin Explant Wound Healing Models |
| Organisation | University of East Anglia |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This study will explore the biofilm efficacy, biocompatibility and re-epithelisation of delivering of non-toxic precursor molecules, that are encapsulated in PLGA generating peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide in situ in an ex-vivo human skin explant model. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-10 Engineered Peptide Immunotherapies for the Targeted Disruption of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. |
| Organisation | CC Biotech |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria represent some of the most challenging hospital/healthcare issues today, especially in patients suffering from Cystic Fibrosis. Unfortunately, many Pseudomonas bacteria are now resistant to antibiotics, hampering treatment. We are developing a novel therapeutic which activates our immune systems to selectively destroy Pseudomonas. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-10 Engineered Peptide Immunotherapies for the Targeted Disruption of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. |
| Organisation | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria represent some of the most challenging hospital/healthcare issues today, especially in patients suffering from Cystic Fibrosis. Unfortunately, many Pseudomonas bacteria are now resistant to antibiotics, hampering treatment. We are developing a novel therapeutic which activates our immune systems to selectively destroy Pseudomonas. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-11 SMaRTBIO: Sustainable Management and Tracking of Biofilm Removal to Allow Effective Reprocessing of Hospital Linens |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Currently, large volumes of hospital linens are single use and there is an urgent requirement for safe, efficient, and traceable laundry processes to provide validated reprocessing. We will develop a new biofilm standard to monitor laundry effectiveness, while providing enhanced infection prevention and reducing the carbon footprint of hospital linen reprocessing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-12 WATTs-UP: Wastewater Ammonia Treatment and Transformation Using Pilot-scale MECs |
| Organisation | Newcastle University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| PI Contribution | This project aims to optimise and validate a pilotscale Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC) system to efficiently recover ammonia from wastewater. This would reduce environmental pollution and create a valuable resource for industries (e.g., fertiliser). The technology offers an innovative and sustainable solution for wastewater treatment and resource recovery. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-13 Mitigation of Biofouling With Conditioned Nanobubbles |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Biofouling presents a significant operational challenge in membrane-based water and wastewater treatment, often regarded as the 'Achilles Heel' of these systems. This project aims to develop and demonstrate a novel, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective approach for membrane cleaning, which is based on nano-bubbles conditioned and enhanced by electromagnetic fields. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-14 Preventative Anti-Biofilm Coatings for Potable Water Systems |
| Organisation | Angel Guard |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Bacterial biofilms within potable water systems cause millions of illnesses annually, and in critical infrastructures such as hospitals, causes an increased mortality rate. This project aims to coat water aerators within water systems with an antibiofilm polymer to prevent bacterial biofilms without the need for an antimicrobial leaching agent. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-14 Preventative Anti-Biofilm Coatings for Potable Water Systems |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Bacterial biofilms within potable water systems cause millions of illnesses annually, and in critical infrastructures such as hospitals, causes an increased mortality rate. This project aims to coat water aerators within water systems with an antibiofilm polymer to prevent bacterial biofilms without the need for an antimicrobial leaching agent. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-15 Biofilm-enabled Wetland Remediation Technology |
| Organisation | Detectronic Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Urbanization has led to a substantial increase in stormwater runoff. If urban stormwater runoff is not effectively managed, it can result in the contamination of receiving waters. Constructed wetlands, with their natural biofilms, offer a sustainable solution to treat this contaminated water by harnessing the power of microbes for bioremediation. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 05POC24-15 Biofilm-enabled Wetland Remediation Technology |
| Organisation | University of Sheffield |
| Department | Sheffield Biorepository |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Urbanization has led to a substantial increase in stormwater runoff. If urban stormwater runoff is not effectively managed, it can result in the contamination of receiving waters. Constructed wetlands, with their natural biofilms, offer a sustainable solution to treat this contaminated water by harnessing the power of microbes for bioremediation. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Full partner on this collaborative project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 3D printing of in vitro models to understand the impact of the bacterial biofilm/host environment on the effectiveness of antimicrobials in cystic fibrosis (PhD studentship) |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supervision and training. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision and training. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | BITE programme studentship: Computational Modelling of Nano-Bio-Interfaces |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supervision and training for this studentship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision and training for this studentship. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | BITE programme studentship: Engineering filamentous bacteriophage-host cell interactions for improved infection outcomes |
| Organisation | National Institute for Health and Care Research |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Supervision and training for this studentship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision and training for this studentship. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | BITE programme studentship: Engineering filamentous bacteriophage-host cell interactions for improved infection outcomes |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supervision and training for this studentship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision and training for this studentship. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Better estimates - practical tool to support GHG quantification |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Impact | The undergraduate student gained experience of working on an industrially relevant problem. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) for COST action - Regulatory ToolBox |
| Organisation | University of Porto |
| Country | Portugal |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaborating on a proposal for an European Network (COST action) cantered around the creating a network for brining biofilm research and regulatory science together. Provided significant contribution to the proposal content. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of Porto was the main proposer for this network. There were multiple co-proposers from the academic and industry and 3rd party organisations from the EU and also from the USA and Singapore and Australia |
| Impact | Regulatory science is the development of research equipment, in vitro and in vivo models, and methods that enable informed decision making. While every country has its own defined pathway for regulatory approval, all regulators rely on regulatory science tools to make decisions as to whether or not a product may enter the commercial market and what label claim the company who sells the product may make. As part of their decision making, regulators must consider how the product improves public health and its impact on the environment. Our challenge is that regulatory science has not stayed current, or even maintained, with what is now considered "standard practice" in research laboratories, creating a large gap between fundamental science and current regulatory guidelines. This COST action will establish a network of individuals from across the European Union from diverse academic biofilm research fields who can develop guidance on what is needed in terms of agreement on the scope and ontology for academic, industrial, and regulatory decision makers to close the gap between academic research and regulatory science. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_005 (Paired Studentship) PhD Bacterial biofilms, biocides and antibiofilm surfaces: Developing standardised methods to assess efficacy of antibiofilm surfaces in dry environments |
| Organisation | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_005 (Paired Studentship) PhD Bacterial biofilms, biocides and antibiofilm surfaces: Developing standardised methods to assess efficacy of antibiofilm surfaces in dry environments |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_005 PhD Bacterial biofilms, biocides and antibiogilm surfaces: Developing standardised methods to assess efficacy of antibiofilm surfaces in wet environments |
| Organisation | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_005 PhD Bacterial biofilms, biocides and antibiogilm surfaces: Developing standardised methods to assess efficacy of antibiofilm surfaces in wet environments |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_006 (Paired Studentship) PhD Development of in vitro infection models to test the efficacy of antimicrobial medical devices |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_006 (Paired Studentship) PhD Development of in vitro infection models to test the efficacy of antimicrobial medical devices |
| Organisation | University of Bradford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_006 PhD Development of an electrospun antimicrobial coated tampon for management of bacterial vaginosis biofilm |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_006 PhD Development of an electrospun antimicrobial coated tampon for management of bacterial vaginosis biofilm |
| Organisation | University of Bradford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_006 PhD Development of an electrospun antimicrobial coated tampon for management of bacterial vaginosis biofilm |
| Organisation | Virustatic Shield Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_007 (Paired Studentship) PhD Infected orthopaedic wounds: Influence of bacteria and biofilms on the adhesion between implant material surfaces and human bone cells and treatment modalities using novel non-antibiotic biocide and vitamins |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_007 (Paired Studentship) PhD Infected orthopaedic wounds: Influence of bacteria and biofilms on the adhesion between implant material surfaces and human bone cells and treatment modalities using novel non-antibiotic biocide and vitamins |
| Organisation | University of Surrey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_007 PhD A novel, antibiotics free and prophylactic topical in-wound applied formulation for combating biofilms and improving orthopaedic surgical wound healing (BioBride) |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_007 PhD A novel, antibiotics free and prophylactic topical in-wound applied formulation for combating biofilms and improving orthopaedic surgical wound healing (BioBride) |
| Organisation | University of Surrey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_020 (Paired Studentship) PhD Mechanistic understanding and drivers to antibiofilm benefits in complex microbial models using a novel anti-biofilm technology |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_020 (Paired Studentship) PhD Mechanistic understanding and drivers to antibiofilm benefits in complex microbial models using a novel anti-biofilm technology |
| Organisation | Unilever |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_020 (Paired Studentship) PhD Mechanistic understanding and drivers to antibiofilm benefits in complex microbial models using a novel anti-biofilm technology |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_020 PhD Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of action and resistance of microbes to anti-biofilm lactam technology |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_020 PhD Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of action and resistance of microbes to anti-biofilm lactam technology |
| Organisation | Unilever |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_020 PhD Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of action and resistance of microbes to anti-biofilm lactam technology |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_028 PhD Examining the mechanisms of epoxy-tigliane induced biofilm disruption in antibiotic-resistant E. coli |
| Organisation | Cardiff University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_028 PhD Examining the mechanisms of epoxy-tigliane induced biofilm disruption in antibiotic-resistant E. coli |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_028 PhD Examining the mechanisms of epoxy-tigliane induced biofilm disruption in antibiotic-resistant E. coli |
| Organisation | QBiotics |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_028 PhD Molecular analysis of the antimicrobial effects of the epoxy-tiglane EBC-1013 on in vitro dysregulation of bacterial biofilms and in vivo wound biofilm disruption |
| Organisation | Cardiff University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2023_028 PhD Molecular analysis of the antimicrobial effects of the epoxy-tiglane EBC-1013 on in vitro dysregulation of bacterial biofilms and in vivo wound biofilm disruption |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CTP_2024_042 PhD (Paired Studentship) Engineering microbiome with bioaugmentation to enhance biological phosphorus removal |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_042 PhD (Paired Studentship) Engineering microbiome with bioaugmentation to enhance biological phosphorus removal |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_042 PhD Utilising electromagnetic field for biofouling control and cleaning of forward osmosis membrane in resource recovery from municipal wastewater |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_042 PhD Utilising electromagnetic field for biofouling control and cleaning of forward osmosis membrane in resource recovery from municipal wastewater |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_045 (Paired Studentship) PhD Standardised phased based therapy (PBT) solutions for complex mucosal based biofilm infections |
| Organisation | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_045 (Paired Studentship) PhD Standardised phased based therapy (PBT) solutions for complex mucosal based biofilm infections |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_045 PhD Biofilm Inhibition and Destabilisation through Optimized Phage Therapy as a Novel Wound Healing Strategy |
| Organisation | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_045 PhD Biofilm Inhibition and Destabilisation through Optimized Phage Therapy as a Novel Wound Healing Strategy |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_047 (Paired Studentship) PhD Dynamic Imaging for Real-Time Visualization of Bacterial Species Co-Distribution and Biofilm Matrix Components |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_047 (Paired Studentship) PhD Dynamic Imaging for Real-Time Visualization of Bacterial Species Co-Distribution and Biofilm Matrix Components |
| Organisation | Unilever |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_047 (Paired Studentship) PhD Dynamic Imaging for Real-Time Visualization of Bacterial Species Co-Distribution and Biofilm Matrix Components |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_047 PhD Evaluating Bacterial Acid Production and pH Dynamics in a Real-Time In-Vitro Polymicrobial Biofilm Model |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_047 PhD Evaluating Bacterial Acid Production and pH Dynamics in a Real-Time In-Vitro Polymicrobial Biofilm Model |
| Organisation | Unilever |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_047 PhD Evaluating Bacterial Acid Production and pH Dynamics in a Real-Time In-Vitro Polymicrobial Biofilm Model |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_055 (Paired Studentship) PhD Integrated, multi-modal mass spectrometry imaging and Raman spectroscopy for the spatial analysis of biofilms and their underlying biomarkers |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_055 (Paired Studentship) PhD Integrated, multi-modal mass spectrometry imaging and Raman spectroscopy for the spatial analysis of biofilms and their underlying biomarkers |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_055 PhD Disrupting oral biofilm formation & maturation: Covalently inhibiting glucan sucrases from Streptococci |
| Organisation | Haleon |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_055 PhD Disrupting oral biofilm formation & maturation: Covalently inhibiting glucan sucrases from Streptococci |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_055 PhD Disrupting oral biofilm formation & maturation: Covalently inhibiting glucan sucrases from Streptococci |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_057 (Paired Studentship) PhD Microbial Induced Corrosion at the Local Site and Single Cell Level: Towards Structure-Property Relationships |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_057 (Paired Studentship) PhD Microbial Induced Corrosion at the Local Site and Single Cell Level: Towards Structure-Property Relationships |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_057 PhD Knowledge based engineering of polymer deposition on dental surfaces to combat oral biofilms |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_057 PhD Knowledge based engineering of polymer deposition on dental surfaces to combat oral biofilms |
| Organisation | Unilever |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2024_057 PhD Knowledge based engineering of polymer deposition on dental surfaces to combat oral biofilms |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | CTP_2025 Characterization of the effectiveness of an antibiotilm technology used for the cosmetic and medical devices sector within the context of wound infection treatment |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025 Multimodal Spectroscopic Imaging of Biofilms |
| Organisation | Bruker Corporation |
| Department | Bruker (United Kingdom) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025 Multimodal Spectroscopic Imaging of Biofilms |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025 Novel bioelectronic phenotyping of surface-adherent biofilms for AMR profiling and therapeutic evaluation |
| Organisation | UK Health Security Agency |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025 Novel bioelectronic phenotyping of surface-adherent biofilms for AMR profiling and therapeutic evaluation |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025 Spatiotemporal Analysis and Modelling of Biofilm Bioelectrochemical Responses in Microbiologically-Influenced Corrosion and associated Marine Fouling Processes |
| Organisation | Endures |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025 Spatiotemporal Analysis and Modelling of Biofilm Bioelectrochemical Responses in Microbiologically-Influenced Corrosion and associated Marine Fouling Processes |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025 The Biofilm Blueprint: Mapping Early Dual-Species Biofilm Formation with Advanced Analytical Tools |
| Organisation | Symcel AB |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025 The Biofilm Blueprint: Mapping Early Dual-Species Biofilm Formation with Advanced Analytical Tools |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025_- 001 (Paired Studentship) Net Zero Biomanufacturing of Chitinous Antibiofilm Polymers |
| Organisation | University of Hertfordshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025_- 001 Natural Polymers to the Rescue: Chitosan and Derivatives in Biofilm Control and prevention in water systems |
| Organisation | University of Hertfordshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025_- 002 (Paired Studentship) Development of a lab-based laundering model for the investigation of biofilm formation, antimicrobial/disinfectant resistance, and biofilm-removal interventions |
| Organisation | University of Hertfordshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supervision, funding, and training for this PhD studentship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision, funding, and training for this PhD studentship. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | CTP_2025_- 002 Biofilms within industrial healthcare, pharmaceutical and hospitality laundries: the impact on infection control, antibiotic resistance, wastewater and the environment |
| Organisation | De Montfort University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision, and training for this PhD. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Citrox Biosciences Ltd - NBIC Regional Innovation Voucher |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Award of Innovation Voucher. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project funding. |
| Impact | Suitability of a technology to be translated across sectors. Currently being assessed. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Collaboration with the Indonesian Biofilm Research Collaboration Centre (IBRCC) |
| Organisation | Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC) |
| Country | Uganda |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supported by a grant from the Scottish Funding Council's International Science Partnership Fund, the University of Edinburgh collaborated with Professor Titik Nuryastuti and the Indonesian Biofilm Research Collaboration Centre at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on a project focused on the genomic characterisation of pathogens responsible for biofilm-associated infections in clinical isolates. A team of five researchers from UGM visited with researchers at all the core NBIC facilities and the team also attended the Biofilms 11 conference, hosted by NBIC and the Microbiology Society. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supported by a grant from the Scottish Funding Council's International Science Partnership Fund, the University of Edinburgh collaborated with Professor Titik Nuryastuti and the Indonesian Biofilm Research Collaboration Centre at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on a project focused on the genomic characterisation of pathogens responsible for biofilm-associated infections in clinical isolates. A team of five researchers from UGM visited with researchers at all the core NBIC facilities and the team also attended the Biofilms 11 conference, hosted by NBIC and the Microbiology Society. |
| Impact | No outcomes yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Collaboration with the Indonesian Biofilm Research Collaboration Centre (IBRCC) |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supported by a grant from the Scottish Funding Council's International Science Partnership Fund, the University of Edinburgh collaborated with Professor Titik Nuryastuti and the Indonesian Biofilm Research Collaboration Centre at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on a project focused on the genomic characterisation of pathogens responsible for biofilm-associated infections in clinical isolates. A team of five researchers from UGM visited with researchers at all the core NBIC facilities and the team also attended the Biofilms 11 conference, hosted by NBIC and the Microbiology Society. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supported by a grant from the Scottish Funding Council's International Science Partnership Fund, the University of Edinburgh collaborated with Professor Titik Nuryastuti and the Indonesian Biofilm Research Collaboration Centre at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on a project focused on the genomic characterisation of pathogens responsible for biofilm-associated infections in clinical isolates. A team of five researchers from UGM visited with researchers at all the core NBIC facilities and the team also attended the Biofilms 11 conference, hosted by NBIC and the Microbiology Society. |
| Impact | No outcomes yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Enteral - NBIC Regional Innovation voucher |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Evaluating sensor technology for medical device company. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Enteral have provided samples. This collaboration is part of NBIC regional Innovation Voucher. |
| Impact | Allowed the company to add to their product claims. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_002 Single cell tracking of orally pathogens to provide insight into commercial formulations |
| Organisation | Haleon |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The oral cavity is home to many species of bacteria that form plaque. Plaque is a form of biofilm where the bacteria have encased themselves in an exopolymeric substance of nucleic acids, proteins, and exopolysaccharides. The presence of these biofilms is often not harmful but can lead to cavities and periodontitis if regular dental hygiene is insufficient. One bacterium that is associated with the development of periodontitis is Campylobacter rectus. This is a small anaerobic bacterium that swims by using a single polar flagellum. This swimming allows for movement deeper into the gumline where it can induce inflammation. Therefore, we aim to investigate how mouthwash formulations impact the motility and tissue penetration of C. rectus to prevent the harmful biofilm formation of this bacteria. Biofilms of C. rectus will also be grown to assess the biofilm prevention properties of these mouthwash formulations. This therefore aligns to the NBIC strategic theme of Prevention. This award will enable the researcher to foster a collaboration with Haleon for future possible knowledge transfer partnerships. This is important for encouraging the funding of oral research at the University of Nottingham which is a new area of research for this faculty. The data generated will be used internally at Haleon for the promotion of novel method development and externally for public understanding of science campaigns. This contributes in some way to all of the UKRI strategic themes, but most notably to: - secure better health, ageing and wellbeing for everyone - tackle infections |
| Collaborator Contribution | The oral cavity is home to many species of bacteria that form plaque. Plaque is a form of biofilm where the bacteria have encased themselves in an exopolymeric substance of nucleic acids, proteins, and exopolysaccharides. The presence of these biofilms is often not harmful but can lead to cavities and periodontitis if regular dental hygiene is insufficient. One bacterium that is associated with the development of periodontitis is Campylobacter rectus. This is a small anaerobic bacterium that swims by using a single polar flagellum. This swimming allows for movement deeper into the gumline where it can induce inflammation. Therefore, we aim to investigate how mouthwash formulations impact the motility and tissue penetration of C. rectus to prevent the harmful biofilm formation of this bacteria. Biofilms of C. rectus will also be grown to assess the biofilm prevention properties of these mouthwash formulations. This therefore aligns to the NBIC strategic theme of Prevention. This award will enable the researcher to foster a collaboration with Haleon for future possible knowledge transfer partnerships. This is important for encouraging the funding of oral research at the University of Nottingham which is a new area of research for this faculty. The data generated will be used internally at Haleon for the promotion of novel method development and externally for public understanding of science campaigns. This contributes in some way to all of the UKRI strategic themes, but most notably to: - secure better health, ageing and wellbeing for everyone - tackle infections |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_002 Single cell tracking of orally pathogens to provide insight into commercial formulations |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The oral cavity is home to many species of bacteria that form plaque. Plaque is a form of biofilm where the bacteria have encased themselves in an exopolymeric substance of nucleic acids, proteins, and exopolysaccharides. The presence of these biofilms is often not harmful but can lead to cavities and periodontitis if regular dental hygiene is insufficient. One bacterium that is associated with the development of periodontitis is Campylobacter rectus. This is a small anaerobic bacterium that swims by using a single polar flagellum. This swimming allows for movement deeper into the gumline where it can induce inflammation. Therefore, we aim to investigate how mouthwash formulations impact the motility and tissue penetration of C. rectus to prevent the harmful biofilm formation of this bacteria. Biofilms of C. rectus will also be grown to assess the biofilm prevention properties of these mouthwash formulations. This therefore aligns to the NBIC strategic theme of Prevention. This award will enable the researcher to foster a collaboration with Haleon for future possible knowledge transfer partnerships. This is important for encouraging the funding of oral research at the University of Nottingham which is a new area of research for this faculty. The data generated will be used internally at Haleon for the promotion of novel method development and externally for public understanding of science campaigns. This contributes in some way to all of the UKRI strategic themes, but most notably to: - secure better health, ageing and wellbeing for everyone - tackle infections |
| Collaborator Contribution | The oral cavity is home to many species of bacteria that form plaque. Plaque is a form of biofilm where the bacteria have encased themselves in an exopolymeric substance of nucleic acids, proteins, and exopolysaccharides. The presence of these biofilms is often not harmful but can lead to cavities and periodontitis if regular dental hygiene is insufficient. One bacterium that is associated with the development of periodontitis is Campylobacter rectus. This is a small anaerobic bacterium that swims by using a single polar flagellum. This swimming allows for movement deeper into the gumline where it can induce inflammation. Therefore, we aim to investigate how mouthwash formulations impact the motility and tissue penetration of C. rectus to prevent the harmful biofilm formation of this bacteria. Biofilms of C. rectus will also be grown to assess the biofilm prevention properties of these mouthwash formulations. This therefore aligns to the NBIC strategic theme of Prevention. This award will enable the researcher to foster a collaboration with Haleon for future possible knowledge transfer partnerships. This is important for encouraging the funding of oral research at the University of Nottingham which is a new area of research for this faculty. The data generated will be used internally at Haleon for the promotion of novel method development and externally for public understanding of science campaigns. This contributes in some way to all of the UKRI strategic themes, but most notably to: - secure better health, ageing and wellbeing for everyone - tackle infections |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_003 The role of RsaE in regulating biofilm formation on catheters |
| Organisation | Ohio State University |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The proposed mobility activity will involve learning a new in vivo biofilm experiment at a collaborator's lab at Ohio University, USA, and to establish this in the lab in Edinburgh. The goal of this visit is to investigate the formation of Staphylococcal biofilms on implants in a mouse model and to determine whether specific genes influence the dispersal of bacterial load from the biofilm to various organs (spleen, lungs, etc). Staphylococcus aureus, a Grampositive bacterium responsible for a range of diseases from minor skin infections to lifethreatening pneumonia, uses various mechanisms to regulate its pathogenicity. One key mechanism involves small RNAs (sRNAs), regulatory non-coding RNAs that modulate mRNA stability and translation through RNA base-pairing (Storz 2009). In our lab, we recently discovered that the sRNA RsaE interacts with pore-forming toxins, Phenol Soluble Modulins (aPSMs 1-4) (McKellar 2022), which not only cause cytolysis of host immune cells but also enhance virulence by promoting biofilm formation (Rong Wang 2011). With promising preliminary data from in vitro biofilm experiments, the next logical step is to explore the biological significance of this sRNA-mRNA interaction in an in vivo model. Using a murine catheter system will allow us to study biofilm physiology, architecture, and interbacterial communication in a living environment and how RsaE impacts biofilm formation on such implants. Since our collaborator has all necessary facilities and expertise in place to perform these experiments, I plan on visiting them to learn how to perform these experiments. Professionally, not only will this experience help me develop and master new in vivo experimental methodologies used in leading US laboratories but also broaden my research perspective. It will enhance both my technical and cross-cultural communication skills whilst also expanding my research network. Since this research ultimately aims to contribute to the development of novel strategies for preventing and managing biofilm-associated infections, it aligns with NBIC prevention and management strategy. It also supports UKRI themes by addressing antimicrobial resistance and improving healthcare outcomes |
| Collaborator Contribution | The proposed mobility activity will involve learning a new in vivo biofilm experiment at a collaborator's lab at Ohio University, USA, and to establish this in the lab in Edinburgh. The goal of this visit is to investigate the formation of Staphylococcal biofilms on implants in a mouse model and to determine whether specific genes influence the dispersal of bacterial load from the biofilm to various organs (spleen, lungs, etc). Staphylococcus aureus, a Grampositive bacterium responsible for a range of diseases from minor skin infections to lifethreatening pneumonia, uses various mechanisms to regulate its pathogenicity. One key mechanism involves small RNAs (sRNAs), regulatory non-coding RNAs that modulate mRNA stability and translation through RNA base-pairing (Storz 2009). In our lab, we recently discovered that the sRNA RsaE interacts with pore-forming toxins, Phenol Soluble Modulins (aPSMs 1-4) (McKellar 2022), which not only cause cytolysis of host immune cells but also enhance virulence by promoting biofilm formation (Rong Wang 2011). With promising preliminary data from in vitro biofilm experiments, the next logical step is to explore the biological significance of this sRNA-mRNA interaction in an in vivo model. Using a murine catheter system will allow us to study biofilm physiology, architecture, and interbacterial communication in a living environment and how RsaE impacts biofilm formation on such implants. Since our collaborator has all necessary facilities and expertise in place to perform these experiments, I plan on visiting them to learn how to perform these experiments. Professionally, not only will this experience help me develop and master new in vivo experimental methodologies used in leading US laboratories but also broaden my research perspective. It will enhance both my technical and cross-cultural communication skills whilst also expanding my research network. Since this research ultimately aims to contribute to the development of novel strategies for preventing and managing biofilm-associated infections, it aligns with NBIC prevention and management strategy. It also supports UKRI themes by addressing antimicrobial resistance and improving healthcare outcomes |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_003 The role of RsaE in regulating biofilm formation on catheters |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The proposed mobility activity will involve learning a new in vivo biofilm experiment at a collaborator's lab at Ohio University, USA, and to establish this in the lab in Edinburgh. The goal of this visit is to investigate the formation of Staphylococcal biofilms on implants in a mouse model and to determine whether specific genes influence the dispersal of bacterial load from the biofilm to various organs (spleen, lungs, etc). Staphylococcus aureus, a Grampositive bacterium responsible for a range of diseases from minor skin infections to lifethreatening pneumonia, uses various mechanisms to regulate its pathogenicity. One key mechanism involves small RNAs (sRNAs), regulatory non-coding RNAs that modulate mRNA stability and translation through RNA base-pairing (Storz 2009). In our lab, we recently discovered that the sRNA RsaE interacts with pore-forming toxins, Phenol Soluble Modulins (aPSMs 1-4) (McKellar 2022), which not only cause cytolysis of host immune cells but also enhance virulence by promoting biofilm formation (Rong Wang 2011). With promising preliminary data from in vitro biofilm experiments, the next logical step is to explore the biological significance of this sRNA-mRNA interaction in an in vivo model. Using a murine catheter system will allow us to study biofilm physiology, architecture, and interbacterial communication in a living environment and how RsaE impacts biofilm formation on such implants. Since our collaborator has all necessary facilities and expertise in place to perform these experiments, I plan on visiting them to learn how to perform these experiments. Professionally, not only will this experience help me develop and master new in vivo experimental methodologies used in leading US laboratories but also broaden my research perspective. It will enhance both my technical and cross-cultural communication skills whilst also expanding my research network. Since this research ultimately aims to contribute to the development of novel strategies for preventing and managing biofilm-associated infections, it aligns with NBIC prevention and management strategy. It also supports UKRI themes by addressing antimicrobial resistance and improving healthcare outcomes |
| Collaborator Contribution | The proposed mobility activity will involve learning a new in vivo biofilm experiment at a collaborator's lab at Ohio University, USA, and to establish this in the lab in Edinburgh. The goal of this visit is to investigate the formation of Staphylococcal biofilms on implants in a mouse model and to determine whether specific genes influence the dispersal of bacterial load from the biofilm to various organs (spleen, lungs, etc). Staphylococcus aureus, a Grampositive bacterium responsible for a range of diseases from minor skin infections to lifethreatening pneumonia, uses various mechanisms to regulate its pathogenicity. One key mechanism involves small RNAs (sRNAs), regulatory non-coding RNAs that modulate mRNA stability and translation through RNA base-pairing (Storz 2009). In our lab, we recently discovered that the sRNA RsaE interacts with pore-forming toxins, Phenol Soluble Modulins (aPSMs 1-4) (McKellar 2022), which not only cause cytolysis of host immune cells but also enhance virulence by promoting biofilm formation (Rong Wang 2011). With promising preliminary data from in vitro biofilm experiments, the next logical step is to explore the biological significance of this sRNA-mRNA interaction in an in vivo model. Using a murine catheter system will allow us to study biofilm physiology, architecture, and interbacterial communication in a living environment and how RsaE impacts biofilm formation on such implants. Since our collaborator has all necessary facilities and expertise in place to perform these experiments, I plan on visiting them to learn how to perform these experiments. Professionally, not only will this experience help me develop and master new in vivo experimental methodologies used in leading US laboratories but also broaden my research perspective. It will enhance both my technical and cross-cultural communication skills whilst also expanding my research network. Since this research ultimately aims to contribute to the development of novel strategies for preventing and managing biofilm-associated infections, it aligns with NBIC prevention and management strategy. It also supports UKRI themes by addressing antimicrobial resistance and improving healthcare outcomes |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_004 A new sustainable approach to reduce biofilm formation and treat water for human use without the need for chemical agents |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Through this industrial partnership the awardee will develop skills and experience in water microbiology, providing academically-based microbiological expertise and testing capability to a local SME. Making water safe for human use is a global challenge. The presence of microbial biofilms resistant to existing treatment methods in water distribution infrastructures can cause various infections and disease outbreaks. Provectus International Ltd. (a UK-based SME) have developed a device which demonstrated bactericidal capabilities for waterborne planktonic bacteria while only relying on proprietary physical mechanisms, offering the potential of a more sustainable way to reduce both the impact of existing biofilms and the formation of new biofilms in water distribution systems which continually seed the flowing water. Legionellosis is a severe respiratory infection which if not diagnosed early can be fatal. Legionella, the causative organism, is spread in aerosolised water from public water supplies and the built environment. This short study will test the adaptability and efficacy of the technology against Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as interacting species in tap water and associated pipe biofilms, bridging the gap between microbiology and engineering requirements. This project aligns to two of NBIC strategic themes, Prevention and Management,and addresses all key themes of the UKRI five-year strategy: ? Build a green future: Traditional water treatment relying on chemicals and/or filtration devices has a significant environmental impact. ? Build a secure and resilient world and create opportunities and improve outcomes in communities across the country:Access to potable water is a major growing concern for many communities worldwide, including developed countries (in 2021, the highest annual notification rate of Legionnaires' disease to date in the EU/EEA was observed; source : ECDC). ? Secure better health, ageing and wellbeing for everyone and tackle infections:This technology may be used to target other waterborne pathogens of global concern. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Through this industrial partnership the awardee will develop skills and experience in water microbiology, providing academically-based microbiological expertise and testing capability to a local SME. Making water safe for human use is a global challenge. The presence of microbial biofilms resistant to existing treatment methods in water distribution infrastructures can cause various infections and disease outbreaks. Provectus International Ltd. (a UK-based SME) have developed a device which demonstrated bactericidal capabilities for waterborne planktonic bacteria while only relying on proprietary physical mechanisms, offering the potential of a more sustainable way to reduce both the impact of existing biofilms and the formation of new biofilms in water distribution systems which continually seed the flowing water. Legionellosis is a severe respiratory infection which if not diagnosed early can be fatal. Legionella, the causative organism, is spread in aerosolised water from public water supplies and the built environment. This short study will test the adaptability and efficacy of the technology against Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as interacting species in tap water and associated pipe biofilms, bridging the gap between microbiology and engineering requirements. This project aligns to two of NBIC strategic themes, Prevention and Management,and addresses all key themes of the UKRI five-year strategy: ? Build a green future: Traditional water treatment relying on chemicals and/or filtration devices has a significant environmental impact. ? Build a secure and resilient world and create opportunities and improve outcomes in communities across the country:Access to potable water is a major growing concern for many communities worldwide, including developed countries (in 2021, the highest annual notification rate of Legionnaires' disease to date in the EU/EEA was observed; source : ECDC). ? Secure better health, ageing and wellbeing for everyone and tackle infections:This technology may be used to target other waterborne pathogens of global concern. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_005 Biocoatings for Enhanced Bioleaching Performance |
| Organisation | University of Portsmouth |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Bioleaching, the use of microorganisms for metal extraction, often involves the circulation of a microbe-containing solution in bioleaching operations. This causes cell loss and reduced bioleaching capacity which dramatically affects costs. This project aims to develop an artificial biofilm (called biocoating) to contain, encapsulate and maintain viable bioleaching microorganisms to enhance microbial performance during bioleaching operations. CF will undertake a mobility placement at the University of Surrey for approximately three days per month over six months. The visits will allow CF to acquire new skills and establish a collaboration with experts in biocoating development at the University of Surrey. The key objectives include: 1) learning how to prepare biocoatings, 2) designing the best biocoatings for bioleaching microorganisms, and 3) assessing the bioleaching efficiency of the designed biocoatings on diverse mineral ores. Through this project, CF will gain expertise in advanced techniques used to assess biocoating efficiency (i.e. viability, strength and surface area) and preparation of cell cultures for the biocoatings, supporting her professional development and strengthening future collaborative research. She will also provide her specialised knowledge in bioleaching microorganisms and her insights in the mining industry to help to further develop this innovative project. This project aligns with NBIC Strategic Themes, as it aims to engineer a biofilm (i.e. biocoating) with bioleaching microorganisms to prevent cell loss and enable direct control ver the microbial community processes in bioleaching applications, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the technology. Improved bioleaching contributes to the transition to greener energy and transport, by minimising the environmental impact of mining and helping to prevent habitat and biodiversity loss and pollution (key goals of UKRI's strategic theme "Building a green future"). Optimising metal extraction methods would also significantly reduce waste produced during metal mining and allow the recovery of metals from alternative sources, such as electronic waste and historical mine wastes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Bioleaching, the use of microorganisms for metal extraction, often involves the circulation of a microbe-containing solution in bioleaching operations. This causes cell loss and reduced bioleaching capacity which dramatically affects costs. This project aims to develop an artificial biofilm (called biocoating) to contain, encapsulate and maintain viable bioleaching microorganisms to enhance microbial performance during bioleaching operations. CF will undertake a mobility placement at the University of Surrey for approximately three days per month over six months. The visits will allow CF to acquire new skills and establish a collaboration with experts in biocoating development at the University of Surrey. The key objectives include: 1) learning how to prepare biocoatings, 2) designing the best biocoatings for bioleaching microorganisms, and 3) assessing the bioleaching efficiency of the designed biocoatings on diverse mineral ores. Through this project, CF will gain expertise in advanced techniques used to assess biocoating efficiency (i.e. viability, strength and surface area) and preparation of cell cultures for the biocoatings, supporting her professional development and strengthening future collaborative research. She will also provide her specialised knowledge in bioleaching microorganisms and her insights in the mining industry to help to further develop this innovative project. This project aligns with NBIC Strategic Themes, as it aims to engineer a biofilm (i.e. biocoating) with bioleaching microorganisms to prevent cell loss and enable direct control ver the microbial community processes in bioleaching applications, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the technology. Improved bioleaching contributes to the transition to greener energy and transport, by minimising the environmental impact of mining and helping to prevent habitat and biodiversity loss and pollution (key goals of UKRI's strategic theme "Building a green future"). Optimising metal extraction methods would also significantly reduce waste produced during metal mining and allow the recovery of metals from alternative sources, such as electronic waste and historical mine wastes. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_005 Biocoatings for Enhanced Bioleaching Performance |
| Organisation | University of Surrey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Bioleaching, the use of microorganisms for metal extraction, often involves the circulation of a microbe-containing solution in bioleaching operations. This causes cell loss and reduced bioleaching capacity which dramatically affects costs. This project aims to develop an artificial biofilm (called biocoating) to contain, encapsulate and maintain viable bioleaching microorganisms to enhance microbial performance during bioleaching operations. CF will undertake a mobility placement at the University of Surrey for approximately three days per month over six months. The visits will allow CF to acquire new skills and establish a collaboration with experts in biocoating development at the University of Surrey. The key objectives include: 1) learning how to prepare biocoatings, 2) designing the best biocoatings for bioleaching microorganisms, and 3) assessing the bioleaching efficiency of the designed biocoatings on diverse mineral ores. Through this project, CF will gain expertise in advanced techniques used to assess biocoating efficiency (i.e. viability, strength and surface area) and preparation of cell cultures for the biocoatings, supporting her professional development and strengthening future collaborative research. She will also provide her specialised knowledge in bioleaching microorganisms and her insights in the mining industry to help to further develop this innovative project. This project aligns with NBIC Strategic Themes, as it aims to engineer a biofilm (i.e. biocoating) with bioleaching microorganisms to prevent cell loss and enable direct control ver the microbial community processes in bioleaching applications, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the technology. Improved bioleaching contributes to the transition to greener energy and transport, by minimising the environmental impact of mining and helping to prevent habitat and biodiversity loss and pollution (key goals of UKRI's strategic theme "Building a green future"). Optimising metal extraction methods would also significantly reduce waste produced during metal mining and allow the recovery of metals from alternative sources, such as electronic waste and historical mine wastes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Bioleaching, the use of microorganisms for metal extraction, often involves the circulation of a microbe-containing solution in bioleaching operations. This causes cell loss and reduced bioleaching capacity which dramatically affects costs. This project aims to develop an artificial biofilm (called biocoating) to contain, encapsulate and maintain viable bioleaching microorganisms to enhance microbial performance during bioleaching operations. CF will undertake a mobility placement at the University of Surrey for approximately three days per month over six months. The visits will allow CF to acquire new skills and establish a collaboration with experts in biocoating development at the University of Surrey. The key objectives include: 1) learning how to prepare biocoatings, 2) designing the best biocoatings for bioleaching microorganisms, and 3) assessing the bioleaching efficiency of the designed biocoatings on diverse mineral ores. Through this project, CF will gain expertise in advanced techniques used to assess biocoating efficiency (i.e. viability, strength and surface area) and preparation of cell cultures for the biocoatings, supporting her professional development and strengthening future collaborative research. She will also provide her specialised knowledge in bioleaching microorganisms and her insights in the mining industry to help to further develop this innovative project. This project aligns with NBIC Strategic Themes, as it aims to engineer a biofilm (i.e. biocoating) with bioleaching microorganisms to prevent cell loss and enable direct control ver the microbial community processes in bioleaching applications, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the technology. Improved bioleaching contributes to the transition to greener energy and transport, by minimising the environmental impact of mining and helping to prevent habitat and biodiversity loss and pollution (key goals of UKRI's strategic theme "Building a green future"). Optimising metal extraction methods would also significantly reduce waste produced during metal mining and allow the recovery of metals from alternative sources, such as electronic waste and historical mine wastes. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_08 Industrial standards for biofilm solution validation |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Context: For dentistry, health, and personal care industries (in human and veterinary settings), practitioners employ pressurised sterile water, delivered to handheld tools/dispensers for (e.g.) irrigation, debris removal, and lubrication. Usually termed 'dental unit water-lines' (DUWLs), these systems typically make use of a reservoir of sterile water, pumped under pressure to the hand-tool. However, despite precautions to the contrary - including use of sterile water and flush procedures - it is commonly appreciated (cf. O'Donnell et al. 2011) https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb.11.104) that these remain susceptible to harms arising from biofilm attachment and growth, such as fouling and contamination. Various preventative solutions therefore exist in the market. Our project investigates the efficacy of one treatment to stimulate joint research through staff development. The Plan: 1. Commission DUWL equipment into the University of Southampton ('UoS') biofilm lab under Tec-Safe ('TS') expert guidance. 2. Investigate the biofilm mitigation efficacy of proprietary TS treatments versus controls via the industry-standard ISO16954. Partners: Tec-Safe Ltd. and the University of Southampton TS have been producing innovative DUWL cleansing treatments for over a decade. They are experts in DUWL and the ISO16954 standard for water-line biofilm treatment in particular. The UoS (a QS World Top 100 HEI) hosts world-leading expertise and facilities in precision bioscience, engineering, data science / artificial intelligence, and biofilms. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Context: For dentistry, health, and personal care industries (in human and veterinary settings), practitioners employ pressurised sterile water, delivered to handheld tools/dispensers for (e.g.) irrigation, debris removal, and lubrication. Usually termed 'dental unit water-lines' (DUWLs), these systems typically make use of a reservoir of sterile water, pumped under pressure to the hand-tool. However, despite precautions to the contrary - including use of sterile water and flush procedures - it is commonly appreciated (cf. O'Donnell et al. 2011) https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb.11.104) that these remain susceptible to harms arising from biofilm attachment and growth, such as fouling and contamination. Various preventative solutions therefore exist in the market. Our project investigates the efficacy of one treatment to stimulate joint research through staff development. The Plan: 1. Commission DUWL equipment into the University of Southampton ('UoS') biofilm lab under Tec-Safe ('TS') expert guidance. 2. Investigate the biofilm mitigation efficacy of proprietary TS treatments versus controls via the industry-standard ISO16954. Partners: Tec-Safe Ltd. and the University of Southampton TS have been producing innovative DUWL cleansing treatments for over a decade. They are experts in DUWL and the ISO16954 standard for water-line biofilm treatment in particular. The UoS (a QS World Top 100 HEI) hosts world-leading expertise and facilities in precision bioscience, engineering, data science / artificial intelligence, and biofilms. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_09 Engineering Electrochemical-Microbial Compatibility for Sustainable CO2-to-Polyhydroxybutyrate Conversion Using Ralstonia eutropha biofilm |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Aim: The project aims to gain hands-on training in cell culture, biofilm cultivation, single-cell Raman spectroscopy for cell physiology, and molecular and engineering biology of Ralstonia eutropha biofilm at the University of Oxford, and to apply these acquired skills at the University of Southampton. This training aims to provide the technical knowledge necessary to bridge rapid and selective electrochemical conversion processes (eCO2R) to microbial bioconversion pathways for sustainable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production, a biodegradable and industrially relevant bioplastic. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Aim: The project aims to gain hands-on training in cell culture, biofilm cultivation, single-cell Raman spectroscopy for cell physiology, and molecular and engineering biology of Ralstonia eutropha biofilm at the University of Oxford, and to apply these acquired skills at the University of Southampton. This training aims to provide the technical knowledge necessary to bridge rapid and selective electrochemical conversion processes (eCO2R) to microbial bioconversion pathways for sustainable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production, a biodegradable and industrially relevant bioplastic. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA_2024_09 Engineering Electrochemical-Microbial Compatibility for Sustainable CO2-to-Polyhydroxybutyrate Conversion Using Ralstonia eutropha biofilm |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Aim: The project aims to gain hands-on training in cell culture, biofilm cultivation, single-cell Raman spectroscopy for cell physiology, and molecular and engineering biology of Ralstonia eutropha biofilm at the University of Oxford, and to apply these acquired skills at the University of Southampton. This training aims to provide the technical knowledge necessary to bridge rapid and selective electrochemical conversion processes (eCO2R) to microbial bioconversion pathways for sustainable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production, a biodegradable and industrially relevant bioplastic. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Aim: The project aims to gain hands-on training in cell culture, biofilm cultivation, single-cell Raman spectroscopy for cell physiology, and molecular and engineering biology of Ralstonia eutropha biofilm at the University of Oxford, and to apply these acquired skills at the University of Southampton. This training aims to provide the technical knowledge necessary to bridge rapid and selective electrochemical conversion processes (eCO2R) to microbial bioconversion pathways for sustainable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production, a biodegradable and industrially relevant bioplastic. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Freedom Hygiene - NBIC Regional Innovation Voucher |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We awarded an innovation voucher to Freedom Hygiene to perform some testing through access to our facilities and expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners provided access to a technology. |
| Impact | Further work has been planned as part of this partnership to enable to move a technology across sectors. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Freedom Hygiene - NBIC Regional Innovation Voucher 2 |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Follow on project looking at clinically-relevant biofilms in vitro. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project partners. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Gencoa - NBIC regional business assist |
| Organisation | Gencoa |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Provided testing of samples using specialist equipment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided samples for testing via subcontract. |
| Impact | Allowed the company to develop their product. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Gencoa - NBIC regional business assist |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Provided testing of samples using specialist equipment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided samples for testing via subcontract. |
| Impact | Allowed the company to develop their product. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Glasgow Caledonian University & University of Liverpool - November 2024 |
| Organisation | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaboration Discussion -ongoing. Prof. Gordon Ramage from Glasgow Caledonian University visited the SSRC and conducted a tour of the laboratories. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration Discussion -ongoing. Prof. Gordon Ramage from Glasgow Caledonian University visited the SSRC and conducted a tour of the laboratories. |
| Impact | Ongoing, no outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Hit-to-lead and lead optimisation of biofilm inhibitors |
| Organisation | X-Chem, Inc |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Our team has developed multiple sets of small molecule biofilm inhibitor compounds, and established their activity against biofilms of uropathogenic E. coli. We have microbiology and biofilm expertise and were looking for a partner to provide medicinal chemistry and DMPK expertise to take the compounds further into preclinical development as an oral therapy for urinary tract infections. |
| Collaborator Contribution | X-Chem are a US based CRO with extensive experience in medicinal chemistry & small molecule drug discovery. Following initial discussion and under a CDA, they performed an analysis on our series of compounds to prioritise one series and map out the required hit-to-lead and lead optimisation work packages. |
| Impact | Following the medchem analysis by X-Chem, a one-year collaborative work package has been planned and will take place in 2024 |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Imaging bacterial death in a self-developed device |
| Organisation | Smith and Nephew |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have demonstrated bacterial death in a self-developed device by Smith and Nephew through imaging. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Smith and Nephew company has supported this research by providing the device to test and bearing the cost of the research. |
| Impact | Images that demonstrate bacterial death inside the developed device by Smith and Nephew. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Imaging bacterial death in a self-developed device |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have demonstrated bacterial death in a self-developed device by Smith and Nephew through imaging. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Smith and Nephew company has supported this research by providing the device to test and bearing the cost of the research. |
| Impact | Images that demonstrate bacterial death inside the developed device by Smith and Nephew. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Innovate UK ICURe SETsquared Partnership Explore cohort for January EXJAN25 |
| Organisation | SETsquared Partnership |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Dr Joe Parker from the University of Southampton & NBIC is taking part in the Joe is taking part in the Innovate UK ICURe SETsquared Partnership Explore cohort in 2025. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SETsquared will be provided training (in-person and virtual bootcamp) followed by 12 weeks of market discovery and support to test key market assumptions. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Innovate UK ICURe SETsquared Partnership Explore cohort for January EXJAN25 |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Dr Joe Parker from the University of Southampton & NBIC is taking part in the Joe is taking part in the Innovate UK ICURe SETsquared Partnership Explore cohort in 2025. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SETsquared will be provided training (in-person and virtual bootcamp) followed by 12 weeks of market discovery and support to test key market assumptions. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Kings College London & University of Liverpool - November 2024 |
| Organisation | King's College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaboration discussions with UoL Surface Science and Professor Lev Kantorovich-Kings College London. Activities include collaboration discussions, exchange of mutual expertise to tackle a joint project with time allocated by an existing PhD student. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration discussions with UoL Surface Science and Professor Lev Kantorovich-Kings College London. Activities include collaboration discussions, exchange of mutual expertise to tackle a joint project using new computational software developed by the partner. |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | MRC iCASE PhD studentship with AnthroTek Ltd |
| Organisation | University of Warwick |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this studentship. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding, supervision and training for this studentship. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Mast Group Ltd - NBIC Regional Business Assist |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Carried out the research project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project partners. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Mast Group Ltd - NBIC Regional Business Assist |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Provided testing of samples using specialist equipment. This collaboration is part of NBIC regional Innovation Voucher scheme. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided samples for testing. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | Bangor University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | Cardiff Metropolitan University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | Northumbria University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | Open University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | Ulster University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | University of Leicester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | University of Plymouth |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | University of Reading |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC Expands National Consortia with Sixth Accession Round |
| Organisation | University of the West of Scotland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has welcomed 10 additional UK universities and research institutions into our growing community. This latest expansion reflects both the increasing recognition of the importance of biofilm research and NBIC's role in uniting expertise from across the academic and industrial landscape. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our 10 new research partner institutions bring with them a wealth of expertise across diverse disciplines, further strengthening the breadth and depth of capability within the NBIC consortium. Their inclusion enhances our ability to connect specialist knowledge with real-world challenges, supporting innovation across multiple sectors. |
| Impact | N/A. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_008 Understanding the mechanism of action for a new class of ruthenium-based antimicrobial drug |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The aim of this project is to work with the SME MetalloBio Ltd. to provide evidence towards mechanism of action for their novel ruthenium-based antimicrobial drug. This will advance the drug towards regulatory approval and commercialisation. This drug has already attracted interested from global pharmaceutical companies, including Boehringer Ingelheim. However, these partners highlighted key experiments needed to facilitate deeper relationships, which include evaluation of transcriptomic data for bacterial species after exposure to the drug. This project will utilise recently obtained transcriptomic data to complete molecular and phenotypic assays informed by the transcriptomics to further elucidate mechanisms of action. The project will support professional development of the FTMA4 recipient by providing them with experience of working in the industrial sector. It will support understanding of industry drivers and develop commercial awareness, this will allow the recipient to better understand how academic research relates to and can be utilised in the industrial sector, thus informing future research practice. The SME have agreed to include the FTMA4 recipient in business meetings during the project and to train them in areas of commercial importance including working to recognised standards and requirements for potential investors and regulators. This project aligns to the 'Healthy Ageing' and 'Leading-edge healthcare' UKRI challenges as one of the greatest risks to healthy ageing and healthcare is infection control. This project builds upon the current drug development research undertaken by MetalloBio Ltd. to accelerate the drug's development and decrease time to market. The drug under development has higher antibacterial activity than many clinical antibiotics and retains its activity against extensively drug-resistant pathogens. The compound has broad-spectrum efficacy, low in vivo toxicology, and good pharmacokinetic properties therefore its development down the regulatory pathway is highly valuable to address the fragile and failing antibiotic pipeline. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship, obtaining publication quality data and obtaining pilot data for future grant applications. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_008 Understanding the mechanism of action for a new class of ruthenium-based antimicrobial drug |
| Organisation | Nottingham Trent University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The aim of this project is to work with the SME MetalloBio Ltd. to provide evidence towards mechanism of action for their novel ruthenium-based antimicrobial drug. This will advance the drug towards regulatory approval and commercialisation. This drug has already attracted interested from global pharmaceutical companies, including Boehringer Ingelheim. However, these partners highlighted key experiments needed to facilitate deeper relationships, which include evaluation of transcriptomic data for bacterial species after exposure to the drug. This project will utilise recently obtained transcriptomic data to complete molecular and phenotypic assays informed by the transcriptomics to further elucidate mechanisms of action. The project will support professional development of the FTMA4 recipient by providing them with experience of working in the industrial sector. It will support understanding of industry drivers and develop commercial awareness, this will allow the recipient to better understand how academic research relates to and can be utilised in the industrial sector, thus informing future research practice. The SME have agreed to include the FTMA4 recipient in business meetings during the project and to train them in areas of commercial importance including working to recognised standards and requirements for potential investors and regulators. This project aligns to the 'Healthy Ageing' and 'Leading-edge healthcare' UKRI challenges as one of the greatest risks to healthy ageing and healthcare is infection control. This project builds upon the current drug development research undertaken by MetalloBio Ltd. to accelerate the drug's development and decrease time to market. The drug under development has higher antibacterial activity than many clinical antibiotics and retains its activity against extensively drug-resistant pathogens. The compound has broad-spectrum efficacy, low in vivo toxicology, and good pharmacokinetic properties therefore its development down the regulatory pathway is highly valuable to address the fragile and failing antibiotic pipeline. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship, obtaining publication quality data and obtaining pilot data for future grant applications. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_010 - Assessing the antibacterial efficacy of CytaCoat AB catheters |
| Organisation | CytaCoat |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Healthcare associated infections are a major problem globally, with potentially serious consequences for patients and high financial burden to medical providers. The use of medical devices, such as urinary catheters, contributes significantly and there is an urgent need for antimicrobial strategies to prevent or reduce biofilm formation and less reliance on antibiotics. In this placement, we will work with CytaCoat AB to develop understanding of their novel antibacterial coating on catheters, using advanced imagining and molecular approaches. Building on previous studies, we will use our bladder model systems to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of treated catheters compared to uncoated controls. We will test a uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain (responsible for the majority of urinary tract infections) and Proteus mirabilis (the causative organism for catheter blockages). Samples will be assessed using culture and advanced microscopy to visualise and quantify biofilm development under flow conditions, over different time periods to replicate use of a catheter. In parallel, used catheters will be collected from a partner hospital (ethics in place) analysed using the same methods but with the addition of next generation sequencing to further our understanding of the catheter microbiome. Experimental milestones will be: 1. Analysis of biofilm development using bladder model, physiologically accurate artificial urine over 14 days, using culture and episcopic differential interference contrast microscopy. 2. Determination of catheter microbiome using sequencing technologies to understand population diversity and link to infection development. The work will provide the researcher with experience on standard testing as required for product development and evaluation, as well as the added value of more biofilm specific advanced methods. They will liaise closely with developers from CytaCoat AB and partners at the Karolinska Institute, who will provide commercial experience and insight into product design and improvement. This strongly aligns with the UKRI themes on Healthy Ageing and Leading-Edge Healthcare. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship, intentions to submit follow-on grant funding applications together and potential to develop future PhD studentships around the research area. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_010 - Assessing the antibacterial efficacy of CytaCoat AB catheters |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Healthcare associated infections are a major problem globally, with potentially serious consequences for patients and high financial burden to medical providers. The use of medical devices, such as urinary catheters, contributes significantly and there is an urgent need for antimicrobial strategies to prevent or reduce biofilm formation and less reliance on antibiotics. In this placement, we will work with CytaCoat AB to develop understanding of their novel antibacterial coating on catheters, using advanced imagining and molecular approaches. Building on previous studies, we will use our bladder model systems to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of treated catheters compared to uncoated controls. We will test a uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain (responsible for the majority of urinary tract infections) and Proteus mirabilis (the causative organism for catheter blockages). Samples will be assessed using culture and advanced microscopy to visualise and quantify biofilm development under flow conditions, over different time periods to replicate use of a catheter. In parallel, used catheters will be collected from a partner hospital (ethics in place) analysed using the same methods but with the addition of next generation sequencing to further our understanding of the catheter microbiome. Experimental milestones will be: 1. Analysis of biofilm development using bladder model, physiologically accurate artificial urine over 14 days, using culture and episcopic differential interference contrast microscopy. 2. Determination of catheter microbiome using sequencing technologies to understand population diversity and link to infection development. The work will provide the researcher with experience on standard testing as required for product development and evaluation, as well as the added value of more biofilm specific advanced methods. They will liaise closely with developers from CytaCoat AB and partners at the Karolinska Institute, who will provide commercial experience and insight into product design and improvement. This strongly aligns with the UKRI themes on Healthy Ageing and Leading-Edge Healthcare. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship, intentions to submit follow-on grant funding applications together and potential to develop future PhD studentships around the research area. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_010 - Assessing the antibacterial efficacy of CytaCoat AB catheters |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Healthcare associated infections are a major problem globally, with potentially serious consequences for patients and high financial burden to medical providers. The use of medical devices, such as urinary catheters, contributes significantly and there is an urgent need for antimicrobial strategies to prevent or reduce biofilm formation and less reliance on antibiotics. In this placement, we will work with CytaCoat AB to develop understanding of their novel antibacterial coating on catheters, using advanced imagining and molecular approaches. Building on previous studies, we will use our bladder model systems to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of treated catheters compared to uncoated controls. We will test a uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain (responsible for the majority of urinary tract infections) and Proteus mirabilis (the causative organism for catheter blockages). Samples will be assessed using culture and advanced microscopy to visualise and quantify biofilm development under flow conditions, over different time periods to replicate use of a catheter. In parallel, used catheters will be collected from a partner hospital (ethics in place) analysed using the same methods but with the addition of next generation sequencing to further our understanding of the catheter microbiome. Experimental milestones will be: 1. Analysis of biofilm development using bladder model, physiologically accurate artificial urine over 14 days, using culture and episcopic differential interference contrast microscopy. 2. Determination of catheter microbiome using sequencing technologies to understand population diversity and link to infection development. The work will provide the researcher with experience on standard testing as required for product development and evaluation, as well as the added value of more biofilm specific advanced methods. They will liaise closely with developers from CytaCoat AB and partners at the Karolinska Institute, who will provide commercial experience and insight into product design and improvement. This strongly aligns with the UKRI themes on Healthy Ageing and Leading-Edge Healthcare. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship, intentions to submit follow-on grant funding applications together and potential to develop future PhD studentships around the research area. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_013 An AI model to predict biofilm formation and improve the production cycle at Quorn Foods |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | As a result of the explosion in population growth and the effects of climate change, "meat-free" alternatives have been considered to support the transition to a low-carbon future. Since 1985, Quorn Foods has been a world leader "meat-alternative" provider with massive production capacity to fulfil its global demand. However, even if the Quorn mycoprotein provides a healthy alternative for the planet, the achievement of a low-carbon future is hindered by several challenges. A process problem encountered at Quorn is biofilm formation on the fermentors' walls. These biofilms can detach and form "lumps" in the final product, impacting its quality. Biofilm formation can result in premature termination of the fermentation cycle, leading to productivity loss, higher production costs, and energy waste. Hence, new techniques for monitoring biofilm formation are needed. This proposal focuses on developing an AI-architecture to detect biofilm formation using microscopy images already collected from the fermentors at different stages of the production cycle. Specifically, transfer-learning will be used to train a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, while multi-modal approaches will be used to integrate sample meta-information in the CNN, including the number of days from the beginning of the production cycle to the sample-collection day. The resulting model will be used to detect biofilm percentage and determine the optimal time for terminating the production cycle, with a direct impact on energy waste and carbon emissions. Hence, this proposal is aligned with both the "Clean Growth" and "AI and Data Economy" themes of the UKRI's Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). This project will allow the PI and Co-I to explore the potential of AI for biofilm detection with a direct impact on industry production while contributing towards the UKRI's ISCF themes. This project will also open new opportunities for future collaborations to address the current challenges in biofilms formations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Preparation of larger funding application for full validation and scaling up of completed proof-of-concept. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_013 An AI model to predict biofilm formation and improve the production cycle at Quorn Foods |
| Organisation | Quorn Foods Limited |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | As a result of the explosion in population growth and the effects of climate change, "meat-free" alternatives have been considered to support the transition to a low-carbon future. Since 1985, Quorn Foods has been a world leader "meat-alternative" provider with massive production capacity to fulfil its global demand. However, even if the Quorn mycoprotein provides a healthy alternative for the planet, the achievement of a low-carbon future is hindered by several challenges. A process problem encountered at Quorn is biofilm formation on the fermentors' walls. These biofilms can detach and form "lumps" in the final product, impacting its quality. Biofilm formation can result in premature termination of the fermentation cycle, leading to productivity loss, higher production costs, and energy waste. Hence, new techniques for monitoring biofilm formation are needed. This proposal focuses on developing an AI-architecture to detect biofilm formation using microscopy images already collected from the fermentors at different stages of the production cycle. Specifically, transfer-learning will be used to train a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, while multi-modal approaches will be used to integrate sample meta-information in the CNN, including the number of days from the beginning of the production cycle to the sample-collection day. The resulting model will be used to detect biofilm percentage and determine the optimal time for terminating the production cycle, with a direct impact on energy waste and carbon emissions. Hence, this proposal is aligned with both the "Clean Growth" and "AI and Data Economy" themes of the UKRI's Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). This project will allow the PI and Co-I to explore the potential of AI for biofilm detection with a direct impact on industry production while contributing towards the UKRI's ISCF themes. This project will also open new opportunities for future collaborations to address the current challenges in biofilms formations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Preparation of larger funding application for full validation and scaling up of completed proof-of-concept. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_013 An AI model to predict biofilm formation and improve the production cycle at Quorn Foods |
| Organisation | Teesside University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a result of the explosion in population growth and the effects of climate change, "meat-free" alternatives have been considered to support the transition to a low-carbon future. Since 1985, Quorn Foods has been a world leader "meat-alternative" provider with massive production capacity to fulfil its global demand. However, even if the Quorn mycoprotein provides a healthy alternative for the planet, the achievement of a low-carbon future is hindered by several challenges. A process problem encountered at Quorn is biofilm formation on the fermentors' walls. These biofilms can detach and form "lumps" in the final product, impacting its quality. Biofilm formation can result in premature termination of the fermentation cycle, leading to productivity loss, higher production costs, and energy waste. Hence, new techniques for monitoring biofilm formation are needed. This proposal focuses on developing an AI-architecture to detect biofilm formation using microscopy images already collected from the fermentors at different stages of the production cycle. Specifically, transfer-learning will be used to train a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, while multi-modal approaches will be used to integrate sample meta-information in the CNN, including the number of days from the beginning of the production cycle to the sample-collection day. The resulting model will be used to detect biofilm percentage and determine the optimal time for terminating the production cycle, with a direct impact on energy waste and carbon emissions. Hence, this proposal is aligned with both the "Clean Growth" and "AI and Data Economy" themes of the UKRI's Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). This project will allow the PI and Co-I to explore the potential of AI for biofilm detection with a direct impact on industry production while contributing towards the UKRI's ISCF themes. This project will also open new opportunities for future collaborations to address the current challenges in biofilms formations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Preparation of larger funding application for full validation and scaling up of completed proof-of-concept. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_015 Follow on: Nano-modification of textile surface with antimicrobial and antibiofilm features for wound dressing and air filtering membranes |
| Organisation | Keele University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This application to FTMA 4 follows on the secondment mission established in FTMA 3 with the same partnership and researcher team. NBIC/BBRSC FTMA 3 enabled the undertaking of a secondment research project with our industrial partner, ShimyaTech, on 'Nano-modification of textile surface with antimicrobial and antibiofilm features for wound dressing and air filtering membranes'. The goals achieved are outlined in the final report; in particular, 1) Optimize an electroless deposition approach to introduce gold and silver nanoparticles onto textile surfaces 2) Assess and compare the anti-biofilm capacity of the new wound dressing. Matched funds were obtained including Warwick University Seedcorn fund for PhD/MSc students on XPS testing and ShimyaTech's funding for antibacterial testing of selected modified fabric specimens at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. We demonstrated that diazonium salts can be stably grafted to fabric surfaces and facilitate the formation of silver and gold nano-particles through electro- or electroless deposition approaches. Some of the modification processes were relatively simple and fast with potential in translation into commercial products for clinic application. Furthermore, it was found that the nano-particle size and chemical compositions were strongly reaction condition dependent, for example, the different active chemicals in diazonium salts and the current/voltage in electrophoretic process. Our XPS and Raman spectroscopic analysis confirmed that there were two types of silver nano particles on the fabric surface, metallic or ionic silver. However, we did not have enough time to conduct systematic anti-bacterial tests on the relation of nano-particles' compositions and anti-bacterial capacity over a wide range of Gram+ and Gram- bacteria. To further develop our observations and confirm validity prior to their translation into commercial products, we propose a follow-on secondment opportunity to conduct systematic antibacterial/antibiofilm characterisation on the modified fabrics from different manufacturing conditions in this study. This will enable a finalised optimized modification process. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Larger collaborative grant applications are in discussion with ShimyaTech to seek funding towards commercialisation with a view to identify early adopters for testing purposes. Scientific manuscripts are currently being prepared for publication in scientific journals. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_015 Follow on: Nano-modification of textile surface with antimicrobial and antibiofilm features for wound dressing and air filtering membranes |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This application to FTMA 4 follows on the secondment mission established in FTMA 3 with the same partnership and researcher team. NBIC/BBRSC FTMA 3 enabled the undertaking of a secondment research project with our industrial partner, ShimyaTech, on 'Nano-modification of textile surface with antimicrobial and antibiofilm features for wound dressing and air filtering membranes'. The goals achieved are outlined in the final report; in particular, 1) Optimize an electroless deposition approach to introduce gold and silver nanoparticles onto textile surfaces 2) Assess and compare the anti-biofilm capacity of the new wound dressing. Matched funds were obtained including Warwick University Seedcorn fund for PhD/MSc students on XPS testing and ShimyaTech's funding for antibacterial testing of selected modified fabric specimens at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. We demonstrated that diazonium salts can be stably grafted to fabric surfaces and facilitate the formation of silver and gold nano-particles through electro- or electroless deposition approaches. Some of the modification processes were relatively simple and fast with potential in translation into commercial products for clinic application. Furthermore, it was found that the nano-particle size and chemical compositions were strongly reaction condition dependent, for example, the different active chemicals in diazonium salts and the current/voltage in electrophoretic process. Our XPS and Raman spectroscopic analysis confirmed that there were two types of silver nano particles on the fabric surface, metallic or ionic silver. However, we did not have enough time to conduct systematic anti-bacterial tests on the relation of nano-particles' compositions and anti-bacterial capacity over a wide range of Gram+ and Gram- bacteria. To further develop our observations and confirm validity prior to their translation into commercial products, we propose a follow-on secondment opportunity to conduct systematic antibacterial/antibiofilm characterisation on the modified fabrics from different manufacturing conditions in this study. This will enable a finalised optimized modification process. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Larger collaborative grant applications are in discussion with ShimyaTech to seek funding towards commercialisation with a view to identify early adopters for testing purposes. Scientific manuscripts are currently being prepared for publication in scientific journals. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_015 Follow on: Nano-modification of textile surface with antimicrobial and antibiofilm features for wound dressing and air filtering membranes |
| Organisation | ShimyaTech Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This application to FTMA 4 follows on the secondment mission established in FTMA 3 with the same partnership and researcher team. NBIC/BBRSC FTMA 3 enabled the undertaking of a secondment research project with our industrial partner, ShimyaTech, on 'Nano-modification of textile surface with antimicrobial and antibiofilm features for wound dressing and air filtering membranes'. The goals achieved are outlined in the final report; in particular, 1) Optimize an electroless deposition approach to introduce gold and silver nanoparticles onto textile surfaces 2) Assess and compare the anti-biofilm capacity of the new wound dressing. Matched funds were obtained including Warwick University Seedcorn fund for PhD/MSc students on XPS testing and ShimyaTech's funding for antibacterial testing of selected modified fabric specimens at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. We demonstrated that diazonium salts can be stably grafted to fabric surfaces and facilitate the formation of silver and gold nano-particles through electro- or electroless deposition approaches. Some of the modification processes were relatively simple and fast with potential in translation into commercial products for clinic application. Furthermore, it was found that the nano-particle size and chemical compositions were strongly reaction condition dependent, for example, the different active chemicals in diazonium salts and the current/voltage in electrophoretic process. Our XPS and Raman spectroscopic analysis confirmed that there were two types of silver nano particles on the fabric surface, metallic or ionic silver. However, we did not have enough time to conduct systematic anti-bacterial tests on the relation of nano-particles' compositions and anti-bacterial capacity over a wide range of Gram+ and Gram- bacteria. To further develop our observations and confirm validity prior to their translation into commercial products, we propose a follow-on secondment opportunity to conduct systematic antibacterial/antibiofilm characterisation on the modified fabrics from different manufacturing conditions in this study. This will enable a finalised optimized modification process. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Larger collaborative grant applications are in discussion with ShimyaTech to seek funding towards commercialisation with a view to identify early adopters for testing purposes. Scientific manuscripts are currently being prepared for publication in scientific journals. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_021 Systematic identification of phage anti-defences for five defence systems |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Project summary: In previous research (Wu et al., Biorxiv, 2022), I found that some defence systems employed by bacteria to prevent phage infection provide synergistic anti-phage effects. This is extremely relevant when considering phages for biocontrol purposes. Thus, this project focuses on identifying ways by which phages can overcome these defence systems individually and combined. These "anti-defences" of phages can be added to phage genomes to increase their killing efficiency in biocontrol applications. The discovery of the anti-defences in phages requires high-throughput approaches that allow the simultaneous testing of hundreds of genes. This capacity is provided by the industrial collaborator. Personal developments: I will master use of high throughput assay (e.g. OmniLog, Hamilton) for phage host interactions. Through comparison of phenotypic findings with genotypes, I will both improve my comparative bioinformatic skills and my molecular biology techniques by designing knock-out/in genes via cloning and phage engineering. The contribution of my research to food production and bacterial infection treatment: Bacteria contribute to many plant diseases, causing devastating damage to crops, and losses of over 1 billion dollars worldwide every year to the food production chain. Moreover, the occurrence of bacterial biofilms, including biofilms on medical device surfaces and in human tissues, pose a threat causing chronic infections. Phages, as the predators of bacteria, are the most abundant entities on earth (~10^31 particles), which exist in diverse ecosystems e.g. marine, soil, plants and animals. As phages can kill bacteria with high efficiency, their potential applications in plant disease treatment, food production and treatment of bacterial infections are currently under exploration. However, bacteria develop defensive mechanisms against phage infection, which decreases the killing efficiency of the latter. Understanding the defensive response of bacteria and the anti-defence reaction of phages enables us to wisely choose and fine-tune more efficient phages for new sustainable treatments. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship and plans made for future collaborative activities. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_021 Systematic identification of phage anti-defences for five defence systems |
| Organisation | SNIPR Biome Ltd. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Project summary: In previous research (Wu et al., Biorxiv, 2022), I found that some defence systems employed by bacteria to prevent phage infection provide synergistic anti-phage effects. This is extremely relevant when considering phages for biocontrol purposes. Thus, this project focuses on identifying ways by which phages can overcome these defence systems individually and combined. These "anti-defences" of phages can be added to phage genomes to increase their killing efficiency in biocontrol applications. The discovery of the anti-defences in phages requires high-throughput approaches that allow the simultaneous testing of hundreds of genes. This capacity is provided by the industrial collaborator. Personal developments: I will master use of high throughput assay (e.g. OmniLog, Hamilton) for phage host interactions. Through comparison of phenotypic findings with genotypes, I will both improve my comparative bioinformatic skills and my molecular biology techniques by designing knock-out/in genes via cloning and phage engineering. The contribution of my research to food production and bacterial infection treatment: Bacteria contribute to many plant diseases, causing devastating damage to crops, and losses of over 1 billion dollars worldwide every year to the food production chain. Moreover, the occurrence of bacterial biofilms, including biofilms on medical device surfaces and in human tissues, pose a threat causing chronic infections. Phages, as the predators of bacteria, are the most abundant entities on earth (~10^31 particles), which exist in diverse ecosystems e.g. marine, soil, plants and animals. As phages can kill bacteria with high efficiency, their potential applications in plant disease treatment, food production and treatment of bacterial infections are currently under exploration. However, bacteria develop defensive mechanisms against phage infection, which decreases the killing efficiency of the latter. Understanding the defensive response of bacteria and the anti-defence reaction of phages enables us to wisely choose and fine-tune more efficient phages for new sustainable treatments. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship and plans made for future collaborative activities. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_021 Systematic identification of phage anti-defences for five defence systems |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Project summary: In previous research (Wu et al., Biorxiv, 2022), I found that some defence systems employed by bacteria to prevent phage infection provide synergistic anti-phage effects. This is extremely relevant when considering phages for biocontrol purposes. Thus, this project focuses on identifying ways by which phages can overcome these defence systems individually and combined. These "anti-defences" of phages can be added to phage genomes to increase their killing efficiency in biocontrol applications. The discovery of the anti-defences in phages requires high-throughput approaches that allow the simultaneous testing of hundreds of genes. This capacity is provided by the industrial collaborator. Personal developments: I will master use of high throughput assay (e.g. OmniLog, Hamilton) for phage host interactions. Through comparison of phenotypic findings with genotypes, I will both improve my comparative bioinformatic skills and my molecular biology techniques by designing knock-out/in genes via cloning and phage engineering. The contribution of my research to food production and bacterial infection treatment: Bacteria contribute to many plant diseases, causing devastating damage to crops, and losses of over 1 billion dollars worldwide every year to the food production chain. Moreover, the occurrence of bacterial biofilms, including biofilms on medical device surfaces and in human tissues, pose a threat causing chronic infections. Phages, as the predators of bacteria, are the most abundant entities on earth (~10^31 particles), which exist in diverse ecosystems e.g. marine, soil, plants and animals. As phages can kill bacteria with high efficiency, their potential applications in plant disease treatment, food production and treatment of bacterial infections are currently under exploration. However, bacteria develop defensive mechanisms against phage infection, which decreases the killing efficiency of the latter. Understanding the defensive response of bacteria and the anti-defence reaction of phages enables us to wisely choose and fine-tune more efficient phages for new sustainable treatments. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship and plans made for future collaborative activities. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_023 Advanced imaging of co-biofilms produced by commensal Lactobacillus sp. and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC): training and Nanocin technology evaluation of selective anti-uropathogenic action. |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most abundant infections in humans worldwide. Recurrent UTIs are especially a problem in ageing populations of women. Therefore, this project aligns to the UKRI's Industrial Strategy challenge funds ageing society challenge. The human urinary microbiome often consists of commensal lactobacilli and are associated with protection from UTIs. In disease conditions, the microbiome will also consist of uropathogens like Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), possibly in mixed biofilms with lactobacilli. Unpublished data have shown the selectivity of killing by Tecrea's Nanocin technology towards Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli in Lactobacillus co-cultures. The potential selective targeting of Nanocin against uropathogenic bacteria in mixed biofilms with lactobacilli may reduce the incidence of recurrent UTIs. Therefore, Tecrea is interested in applications of its innovative technology in UTI control. Aims: 1) Develop a method of establishing co-biofilms containing Lactobacillus sp. and UPEC. 2) Imaging of mixed biofilms, through training from the UCL team, with a Leica SP8 deconvolution super-resolution laser scanning confocal microscope. Live imaging will be performed over a series of hours under physiological conditions. 3) Evaluate the morphological effects of Tecrea's Nanocin technology on mixed biofilms formed by Lactobacillus sp. and UPEC. Training provided by UCL in morphometric analysis under super resolution 3D image analysis using Leica LASX, Image pro 10 3D and FIJI (Comstat2). 4) Further develop the SME-academic collaboration, building on past successful collaboration. 5) Expand and develop my skill set. Personal development: Completing the secondment will allow me to learn a range of novel imaging techniques and in vitro models for the assessment of biofilm morphology. The skills I develop will be applied to my work at Tecrea. I will also expand my collaboration network by working with UCL, NHS, and BIIG as well as exposure to working in a clinical setting. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Results from this secondment have already been disseminated by poster presentation. Publication of results from this secondment are planned, pending future additional work. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_023 Advanced imaging of co-biofilms produced by commensal Lactobacillus sp. and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC): training and Nanocin technology evaluation of selective anti-uropathogenic action. |
| Organisation | Tecrea |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most abundant infections in humans worldwide. Recurrent UTIs are especially a problem in ageing populations of women. Therefore, this project aligns to the UKRI's Industrial Strategy challenge funds ageing society challenge. The human urinary microbiome often consists of commensal lactobacilli and are associated with protection from UTIs. In disease conditions, the microbiome will also consist of uropathogens like Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), possibly in mixed biofilms with lactobacilli. Unpublished data have shown the selectivity of killing by Tecrea's Nanocin technology towards Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli in Lactobacillus co-cultures. The potential selective targeting of Nanocin against uropathogenic bacteria in mixed biofilms with lactobacilli may reduce the incidence of recurrent UTIs. Therefore, Tecrea is interested in applications of its innovative technology in UTI control. Aims: 1) Develop a method of establishing co-biofilms containing Lactobacillus sp. and UPEC. 2) Imaging of mixed biofilms, through training from the UCL team, with a Leica SP8 deconvolution super-resolution laser scanning confocal microscope. Live imaging will be performed over a series of hours under physiological conditions. 3) Evaluate the morphological effects of Tecrea's Nanocin technology on mixed biofilms formed by Lactobacillus sp. and UPEC. Training provided by UCL in morphometric analysis under super resolution 3D image analysis using Leica LASX, Image pro 10 3D and FIJI (Comstat2). 4) Further develop the SME-academic collaboration, building on past successful collaboration. 5) Expand and develop my skill set. Personal development: Completing the secondment will allow me to learn a range of novel imaging techniques and in vitro models for the assessment of biofilm morphology. The skills I develop will be applied to my work at Tecrea. I will also expand my collaboration network by working with UCL, NHS, and BIIG as well as exposure to working in a clinical setting. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Results from this secondment have already been disseminated by poster presentation. Publication of results from this secondment are planned, pending future additional work. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_023 Advanced imaging of co-biofilms produced by commensal Lactobacillus sp. and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC): training and Nanocin technology evaluation of selective anti-uropathogenic action. |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most abundant infections in humans worldwide. Recurrent UTIs are especially a problem in ageing populations of women. Therefore, this project aligns to the UKRI's Industrial Strategy challenge funds ageing society challenge. The human urinary microbiome often consists of commensal lactobacilli and are associated with protection from UTIs. In disease conditions, the microbiome will also consist of uropathogens like Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), possibly in mixed biofilms with lactobacilli. Unpublished data have shown the selectivity of killing by Tecrea's Nanocin technology towards Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli in Lactobacillus co-cultures. The potential selective targeting of Nanocin against uropathogenic bacteria in mixed biofilms with lactobacilli may reduce the incidence of recurrent UTIs. Therefore, Tecrea is interested in applications of its innovative technology in UTI control. Aims: 1) Develop a method of establishing co-biofilms containing Lactobacillus sp. and UPEC. 2) Imaging of mixed biofilms, through training from the UCL team, with a Leica SP8 deconvolution super-resolution laser scanning confocal microscope. Live imaging will be performed over a series of hours under physiological conditions. 3) Evaluate the morphological effects of Tecrea's Nanocin technology on mixed biofilms formed by Lactobacillus sp. and UPEC. Training provided by UCL in morphometric analysis under super resolution 3D image analysis using Leica LASX, Image pro 10 3D and FIJI (Comstat2). 4) Further develop the SME-academic collaboration, building on past successful collaboration. 5) Expand and develop my skill set. Personal development: Completing the secondment will allow me to learn a range of novel imaging techniques and in vitro models for the assessment of biofilm morphology. The skills I develop will be applied to my work at Tecrea. I will also expand my collaboration network by working with UCL, NHS, and BIIG as well as exposure to working in a clinical setting. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Results from this secondment have already been disseminated by poster presentation. Publication of results from this secondment are planned, pending future additional work. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_027 Analysing the impact of the root microbiome biofilm on the beneficial effect of Azospirillum on crops |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) A. argentinense Az39 is used as a biological fertilizer to improve crop productivity whilst reducing the environmental impact of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. However, besides the well-studied capacities to promote plant growth by the production of active metabolites and fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, the mechanisms by which Az39 interacts with the root microbiome and how this leads to plant growth is poorly understood. Successful microbial inoculants must be capable of invading and persisting with the indigenous microbiome. Identifying the elements driving Az39 root colonization, especially those related to the root microbiome, is of critical importance to control this microbe-based technology in a predictable way. This fellowship aims to provide the required training to Dr Nayla Anahí Coniglio from the Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas CONICET-UNRC (Argentina) to study the Az39-microbiome interactions in the laboratory of Dr Gabriel Castrillo (UoN). Dr Anahí will learn the technologies required to establish how the sensing of and interference with bacterial cell-cell signalling mechanisms known as quorum sensing by A. argentinense Az39 affect the association between this organism, the root microbiome, and the plant, and its consequences on crop production. This project will provide this postdoc the know-how required for the characterization of polymicrobial biofilms associated with roots to identify novel bacteria bacteria and bacteria-plant interaction mechanisms using Az39 mutant strains previously developed in Argentina. Understanding how the root microbiome influences the colonization and establishment of Azospirillum in the root will provide the basis for the development and optimization of novel microbiome based strategies to modulate the proven beneficial effect of Azospirillum in agriculture settings. This project fits the 'Transforming Food Production' challenge from UKRI's Industry Strategy Challenge fund supporting new ways to produce food by reducing pollution from chemicals fertilizers and pesticides through the use of biological approaches |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship between the UK and Argentinian universities and plans are being made for future joint projects. The postdoc involved in the work has been able to apply for a fellowship in the UK to continue the research and establish themselves as an independent researcher. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_027 Analysing the impact of the root microbiome biofilm on the beneficial effect of Azospirillum on crops |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) A. argentinense Az39 is used as a biological fertilizer to improve crop productivity whilst reducing the environmental impact of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. However, besides the well-studied capacities to promote plant growth by the production of active metabolites and fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, the mechanisms by which Az39 interacts with the root microbiome and how this leads to plant growth is poorly understood. Successful microbial inoculants must be capable of invading and persisting with the indigenous microbiome. Identifying the elements driving Az39 root colonization, especially those related to the root microbiome, is of critical importance to control this microbe-based technology in a predictable way. This fellowship aims to provide the required training to Dr Nayla Anahí Coniglio from the Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas CONICET-UNRC (Argentina) to study the Az39-microbiome interactions in the laboratory of Dr Gabriel Castrillo (UoN). Dr Anahí will learn the technologies required to establish how the sensing of and interference with bacterial cell-cell signalling mechanisms known as quorum sensing by A. argentinense Az39 affect the association between this organism, the root microbiome, and the plant, and its consequences on crop production. This project will provide this postdoc the know-how required for the characterization of polymicrobial biofilms associated with roots to identify novel bacteria bacteria and bacteria-plant interaction mechanisms using Az39 mutant strains previously developed in Argentina. Understanding how the root microbiome influences the colonization and establishment of Azospirillum in the root will provide the basis for the development and optimization of novel microbiome based strategies to modulate the proven beneficial effect of Azospirillum in agriculture settings. This project fits the 'Transforming Food Production' challenge from UKRI's Industry Strategy Challenge fund supporting new ways to produce food by reducing pollution from chemicals fertilizers and pesticides through the use of biological approaches |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Strengthening the collaborative relationship between the UK and Argentinian universities and plans are being made for future joint projects. The postdoc involved in the work has been able to apply for a fellowship in the UK to continue the research and establish themselves as an independent researcher. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_030 - To investigate the potential effects of hand washing and drying on skin microbial communities and interactions between viruses and bacteria |
| Organisation | Dyson |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | In this placement, the aims of the project are to work with Dyson Technology Ltd. to investigate the effects of hand washing and drying on skin microbial communities and interactions between viruses and bacteria. The skin microbial communities will be sampled from a group of volunteers (ethics approval has already been sought). Recovery will use the glove juice method where a participant places their hand in a sterile glove, a known amount of diluent is added, and hands are rubbed together to release microorganisms. This suspension is collected and plated onto agar (bacteria) or bacterial lawns (virus). The planned inoculation method will be addition of a known concentration of indicator species onto hands, following by rubbing and drying in air. Recovery will again use the glove juice method. Dyson will provide several hand air dryer designs and possible release of remaining skin microbial communities and contaminating indicator species as aerosols will be examined using air samplers in a defined room space. The project concerns hygiene improvement and reducing hand drying cost. To note, paper towels have high running costs and associated waste management, and higher carbon footprint when compared to hand dryers; moreover, hand dryers can have an efficient design lowering energy use. As such the proposal can contribute to the UKRI's Industry Strategy Challenge Fund addressing Clean Growth-Made Smarter challenge: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/our-main-funds/industrial-strategy-challenge fund/clean-growth/made-smarter-innovation-challenge/ It also aligns with the Ageing Society-Heathy Ageing challenge: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/our main-funds/industrial-strategy-challenge-fund/ageing-society/healthy-ageing-challenge/ because it provides easier (and cheaper) hand drying for disabled, older, frail people with or without arthritic hands. It addresses the identified themes of: • Creating healthy active places • Design for age-friendly homes • Living well with cognitive impairment • Managing common complaints of ageing • Maintaining health at work |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | This project has successfully addressed concerns such as hygiene improvement and reducing hand drying cost. To note, paper towels have high running costs and associated waste management, and higher carbon footprint when compared to hand dryers; moreover, hand dryers can have an efficient design lowering energy use. As such the proposal has contributed to the UKRI's Industry Strategy Challenge Fund addressing Clean Growth-Made Smarter challenge: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/our-main-funds/industrial-strategy-challenge-fund/clean-growth/made-smarter-innovation-challenge/ |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_030 - To investigate the potential effects of hand washing and drying on skin microbial communities and interactions between viruses and bacteria |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | In this placement, the aims of the project are to work with Dyson Technology Ltd. to investigate the effects of hand washing and drying on skin microbial communities and interactions between viruses and bacteria. The skin microbial communities will be sampled from a group of volunteers (ethics approval has already been sought). Recovery will use the glove juice method where a participant places their hand in a sterile glove, a known amount of diluent is added, and hands are rubbed together to release microorganisms. This suspension is collected and plated onto agar (bacteria) or bacterial lawns (virus). The planned inoculation method will be addition of a known concentration of indicator species onto hands, following by rubbing and drying in air. Recovery will again use the glove juice method. Dyson will provide several hand air dryer designs and possible release of remaining skin microbial communities and contaminating indicator species as aerosols will be examined using air samplers in a defined room space. The project concerns hygiene improvement and reducing hand drying cost. To note, paper towels have high running costs and associated waste management, and higher carbon footprint when compared to hand dryers; moreover, hand dryers can have an efficient design lowering energy use. As such the proposal can contribute to the UKRI's Industry Strategy Challenge Fund addressing Clean Growth-Made Smarter challenge: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/our-main-funds/industrial-strategy-challenge fund/clean-growth/made-smarter-innovation-challenge/ It also aligns with the Ageing Society-Heathy Ageing challenge: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/our main-funds/industrial-strategy-challenge-fund/ageing-society/healthy-ageing-challenge/ because it provides easier (and cheaper) hand drying for disabled, older, frail people with or without arthritic hands. It addresses the identified themes of: • Creating healthy active places • Design for age-friendly homes • Living well with cognitive impairment • Managing common complaints of ageing • Maintaining health at work |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | This project has successfully addressed concerns such as hygiene improvement and reducing hand drying cost. To note, paper towels have high running costs and associated waste management, and higher carbon footprint when compared to hand dryers; moreover, hand dryers can have an efficient design lowering energy use. As such the proposal has contributed to the UKRI's Industry Strategy Challenge Fund addressing Clean Growth-Made Smarter challenge: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/our-main-funds/industrial-strategy-challenge-fund/clean-growth/made-smarter-innovation-challenge/ |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_030 - To investigate the potential effects of hand washing and drying on skin microbial communities and interactions between viruses and bacteria |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | In this placement, the aims of the project are to work with Dyson Technology Ltd. to investigate the effects of hand washing and drying on skin microbial communities and interactions between viruses and bacteria. The skin microbial communities will be sampled from a group of volunteers (ethics approval has already been sought). Recovery will use the glove juice method where a participant places their hand in a sterile glove, a known amount of diluent is added, and hands are rubbed together to release microorganisms. This suspension is collected and plated onto agar (bacteria) or bacterial lawns (virus). The planned inoculation method will be addition of a known concentration of indicator species onto hands, following by rubbing and drying in air. Recovery will again use the glove juice method. Dyson will provide several hand air dryer designs and possible release of remaining skin microbial communities and contaminating indicator species as aerosols will be examined using air samplers in a defined room space. The project concerns hygiene improvement and reducing hand drying cost. To note, paper towels have high running costs and associated waste management, and higher carbon footprint when compared to hand dryers; moreover, hand dryers can have an efficient design lowering energy use. As such the proposal can contribute to the UKRI's Industry Strategy Challenge Fund addressing Clean Growth-Made Smarter challenge: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/our-main-funds/industrial-strategy-challenge fund/clean-growth/made-smarter-innovation-challenge/ It also aligns with the Ageing Society-Heathy Ageing challenge: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/our main-funds/industrial-strategy-challenge-fund/ageing-society/healthy-ageing-challenge/ because it provides easier (and cheaper) hand drying for disabled, older, frail people with or without arthritic hands. It addresses the identified themes of: • Creating healthy active places • Design for age-friendly homes • Living well with cognitive impairment • Managing common complaints of ageing • Maintaining health at work |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | This project has successfully addressed concerns such as hygiene improvement and reducing hand drying cost. To note, paper towels have high running costs and associated waste management, and higher carbon footprint when compared to hand dryers; moreover, hand dryers can have an efficient design lowering energy use. As such the proposal has contributed to the UKRI's Industry Strategy Challenge Fund addressing Clean Growth-Made Smarter challenge: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/our-main-funds/industrial-strategy-challenge-fund/clean-growth/made-smarter-innovation-challenge/ |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_039 - Single-cell electrochemical and force spectroscope AFM study of the interaction between bacteria and functionalized biomimetic surfaces |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The search for new, functional antimicrobial surfaces is becoming more urgent as the prevention of biofilms becomes an underpinning strategy for preventing biofilms that are implicated in AMR and significant economic costs across multiple industry sectors. Recently, we utilized the self-assembly of S layer proteins to form a novel kind of well-controlled, nanostructured, bio-compatible surface. It is of great research interest if we could use AFM to study the interaction between bacteria cells and the functionalized surface and, at the same time, study the electron transfer between the single bacteria cell and the substrate. However, it is a challenging task to combine AFM force spectroscopy and AFM electrochemical measurement. In this fellowship, (1) I will focus on single-cell adhesion measurement using our multimode AFM. These measurements will help us understand the mechanism of the antimicrobial behaviour of functionalized surfaces and will help us design a better antimicrobial surface. (2) I will study the electron transfer between a single bacteria cell and a functionalized surface using electrochemical measurement. For this purpose, we will upgrade our multimode AFM with an electrochemical flow cell and a potentiostat. (3) Integrate 1 and 2 in one experiment. To achieve this goal, I will collaborate with Bruker Ltd, UK, the world-leading AFM company. I plan to visit Bruker to carry out initial electrochemistry and single-cell adhesion experiments and will upgrade our AFM further for these experiments (including software updating and a new electrochemistry flow cell) with the help of Bruker. With the support from FTMA 4, I will intensify the collaboration with Bruker. By leading this collaborative project, I can enhance my communication, leadership, and project management skills, which will benefit my career development greatly in the future. This will lead me the way to an independent researcher. This fellowship aligns with the themes: Prevent and Detect. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Continued collaboration and plans made for future joint activities. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC FTMA4_22_039 - Single-cell electrochemical and force spectroscope AFM study of the interaction between bacteria and functionalized biomimetic surfaces |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The search for new, functional antimicrobial surfaces is becoming more urgent as the prevention of biofilms becomes an underpinning strategy for preventing biofilms that are implicated in AMR and significant economic costs across multiple industry sectors. Recently, we utilized the self-assembly of S layer proteins to form a novel kind of well-controlled, nanostructured, bio-compatible surface. It is of great research interest if we could use AFM to study the interaction between bacteria cells and the functionalized surface and, at the same time, study the electron transfer between the single bacteria cell and the substrate. However, it is a challenging task to combine AFM force spectroscopy and AFM electrochemical measurement. In this fellowship, (1) I will focus on single-cell adhesion measurement using our multimode AFM. These measurements will help us understand the mechanism of the antimicrobial behaviour of functionalized surfaces and will help us design a better antimicrobial surface. (2) I will study the electron transfer between a single bacteria cell and a functionalized surface using electrochemical measurement. For this purpose, we will upgrade our multimode AFM with an electrochemical flow cell and a potentiostat. (3) Integrate 1 and 2 in one experiment. To achieve this goal, I will collaborate with Bruker Ltd, UK, the world-leading AFM company. I plan to visit Bruker to carry out initial electrochemistry and single-cell adhesion experiments and will upgrade our AFM further for these experiments (including software updating and a new electrochemistry flow cell) with the help of Bruker. With the support from FTMA 4, I will intensify the collaboration with Bruker. By leading this collaborative project, I can enhance my communication, leadership, and project management skills, which will benefit my career development greatly in the future. This will lead me the way to an independent researcher. This fellowship aligns with the themes: Prevent and Detect. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative partners in this flexible talent mobility scheme project. |
| Impact | Continued collaboration and plans made for future joint activities. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC Nottingham collaboration with Dr Kurt Wolff GmbH & Co |
| Organisation | Lactosan GmbH & Co KG |
| Country | Austria |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Research expertise in biofilms. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project rationale and funding. |
| Impact | N/A |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC Regional Business Assist - Light Coatings |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | To provide testing and analysis on samples provided using specialist equipment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | To provide samples for testing. This partnership is part of NBIC Regional Business Assist. |
| Impact | Ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC Southampton collaboration with GyroPlant |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This project explores how biofilms and microbial communities behave in the root zone - and how this impacts plant health, yield, and system hygiene. GyroPlant and the team at the National Biofilms Innovation Centre are working together to explore: - Real growing trials comparing reusable GyroPlant plant growing structures with conventional single-use substrates used in hydroponics - Metagenomic and abiotic data collection - Early-stage digital modelling to explore how biofilms develop and influence outcomes |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project explores how biofilms and microbial communities behave in the root zone - and how this impacts plant health, yield, and system hygiene. GyroPlant and the team at the National Biofilms Innovation Centre are working together to explore: - Real growing trials comparing reusable GyroPlant plant growing structures with conventional single-use substrates used in hydroponics - Metagenomic and abiotic data collection - Early-stage digital modelling to explore how biofilms develop and influence outcomes |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | NBIC regional Innovation Voucher N005_INV2024 Visualizing the Efficacy of Battlestar: A Novel Antimicrobial Technology for Biofilm Eradication in Wound Care |
| Organisation | AGA Nanotech Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This project aims to test whether Battlestar kills pathogenic bacteria within monospecies biofilms representative of those found in clinical settings such as difficult to treat wounds. Generating data on efficacy, dosing and penetration depth of Battlestar through biofilms will support product development and deliver evidence to progress Battlestar from TRL 3 to TRL 4 and TRL 5, guiding refinment of the delivery system if needed. Advanced imaging systems at the University of Nottingham will be used to visually demonstrate the antibiofilm activity of AGA Nanotech's technology for the first time. This will also lay the groundwork for subsequent studies involving mixed-species biofilms and ex vivo wound models. By validating Battlestar's efficacy this project will significantly bolster AGAs efforts to innovate and grow, ultimately contributing to the global fight against AMR and biofilm-associated infections. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project aims to test whether Battlestar kills pathogenic bacteria within monospecies biofilms representative of those found in clinical settings such as difficult to treat wounds. Generating data on efficacy, dosing and penetration depth of Battlestar through biofilms will support product development and deliver evidence to progress Battlestar from TRL 3 to TRL 4 and TRL 5, guiding refinment of the delivery system if needed. Advanced imaging systems at the University of Nottingham will be used to visually demonstrate the antibiofilm activity of AGA Nanotech's technology for the first time. This will also lay the groundwork for subsequent studies involving mixed-species biofilms and ex vivo wound models. By validating Battlestar's efficacy this project will significantly bolster AGAs efforts to innovate and grow, ultimately contributing to the global fight against AMR and biofilm-associated infections. |
| Impact | No outcomes yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC regional Innovation Voucher N005_INV2024 Visualizing the Efficacy of Battlestar: A Novel Antimicrobial Technology for Biofilm Eradication in Wound Care |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This project aims to test whether Battlestar kills pathogenic bacteria within monospecies biofilms representative of those found in clinical settings such as difficult to treat wounds. Generating data on efficacy, dosing and penetration depth of Battlestar through biofilms will support product development and deliver evidence to progress Battlestar from TRL 3 to TRL 4 and TRL 5, guiding refinment of the delivery system if needed. Advanced imaging systems at the University of Nottingham will be used to visually demonstrate the antibiofilm activity of AGA Nanotech's technology for the first time. This will also lay the groundwork for subsequent studies involving mixed-species biofilms and ex vivo wound models. By validating Battlestar's efficacy this project will significantly bolster AGAs efforts to innovate and grow, ultimately contributing to the global fight against AMR and biofilm-associated infections. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project aims to test whether Battlestar kills pathogenic bacteria within monospecies biofilms representative of those found in clinical settings such as difficult to treat wounds. Generating data on efficacy, dosing and penetration depth of Battlestar through biofilms will support product development and deliver evidence to progress Battlestar from TRL 3 to TRL 4 and TRL 5, guiding refinment of the delivery system if needed. Advanced imaging systems at the University of Nottingham will be used to visually demonstrate the antibiofilm activity of AGA Nanotech's technology for the first time. This will also lay the groundwork for subsequent studies involving mixed-species biofilms and ex vivo wound models. By validating Battlestar's efficacy this project will significantly bolster AGAs efforts to innovate and grow, ultimately contributing to the global fight against AMR and biofilm-associated infections. |
| Impact | No outcomes yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC regional Innovation Voucher N006_INV202 Investigating antibacterial efficacy of an enamel remineralizing protein coating |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Mintech's products are designed to be applied and work in the oral environment but their impact on bacterial deposition and the prevention of biofilm formation has not been assessed before. Streptococcus mutans is a biofilm forming bacterium commonly found in the mouth which can cause dental cavities. We are therefore interested in assessing whether our products can reduce/prevent the growth of Streptococcus mutans as they work in the mouth. To minimize the number of culture substrates required to assess the growth of bacteria at different stages of the performance of the product in the mouth, we propose to a test before, after, and during mineralization in artificial saliva. The following experiment is designed to assess the performance of one of our products in the presence of the bacterium. Grow Streptococcus mutans bacteria on the following substrates: 1. Product with antiseptic (0.1% and 0.2% chlorohexidine) deposited on glass and before exposure to mineralizing artificial saliva. 2. Product without antiseptic deposited on glass before exposure to mineralizing artificial saliva. 3. Product deposited on glass with antiseptic after mineralization in artificial saliva. 4. Product deposited on glass without antiseptic after mineralization in artificial saliva. 5. Curodont, a commercially available product will be used as a positive control. Curodont deposited on glass before exposure to mineralizing artificial saliva. 6. Curodont deposited on glass after exposure to mineralizing artificial saliva. To determine the antibacterial efficiency of the antiseptic with our product, we will investigate: (i) ratio of live/dead bacteria using confocal imaging and (ii) the number of bacterial colonies grown from the above substrates by performing colony forming unit counts |
| Collaborator Contribution | Mintech's products are designed to be applied and work in the oral environment but their impact on bacterial deposition and the prevention of biofilm formation has not been assessed before. Streptococcus mutans is a biofilm forming bacterium commonly found in the mouth which can cause dental cavities. We are therefore interested in assessing whether our products can reduce/prevent the growth of Streptococcus mutans as they work in the mouth. To minimize the number of culture substrates required to assess the growth of bacteria at different stages of the performance of the product in the mouth, we propose to a test before, after, and during mineralization in artificial saliva. The following experiment is designed to assess the performance of one of our products in the presence of the bacterium. Grow Streptococcus mutans bacteria on the following substrates: 1. Product with antiseptic (0.1% and 0.2% chlorohexidine) deposited on glass and before exposure to mineralizing artificial saliva. 2. Product without antiseptic deposited on glass before exposure to mineralizing artificial saliva. 3. Product deposited on glass with antiseptic after mineralization in artificial saliva. 4. Product deposited on glass without antiseptic after mineralization in artificial saliva. 5. Curodont, a commercially available product will be used as a positive control. Curodont deposited on glass before exposure to mineralizing artificial saliva. 6. Curodont deposited on glass after exposure to mineralizing artificial saliva. To determine the antibacterial efficiency of the antiseptic with our product, we will investigate: (i) ratio of live/dead bacteria using confocal imaging and (ii) the number of bacterial colonies grown from the above substrates by performing colony forming unit counts |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC, SCELSE and NTU Singapore Collaboration - Jan 2025 |
| Organisation | Nanyang Technological University |
| Country | Singapore |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Initial discussion with Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences and Engineering (SCELSE) and Nantang Technological University (NTU). Activities include collaboration discussions, with plans to exchange mutual expertise to tackle a joint project, access to PDRA time and specialist facilities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Initial discussion with Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences and Engineering (SCELSE) and Nantang Technological University (NTU)-ongoing. Activities include collaboration discussions, exchange of mutual expertise and use of facilities to tackle a joint project, research visit by PDRA to work on collaborative project. facilities. |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC, SCELSE and NTU Singapore Collaboration - Jan 2025 |
| Organisation | Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering |
| Country | Singapore |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Initial discussion with Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences and Engineering (SCELSE) and Nantang Technological University (NTU). Activities include collaboration discussions, with plans to exchange mutual expertise to tackle a joint project, access to PDRA time and specialist facilities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Initial discussion with Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences and Engineering (SCELSE) and Nantang Technological University (NTU)-ongoing. Activities include collaboration discussions, exchange of mutual expertise and use of facilities to tackle a joint project, research visit by PDRA to work on collaborative project. facilities. |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC_FTMA_2024_001 Photo-antimicrobial Coatings for Heritage Preservation |
| Organisation | Italian Institute of Technology (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia IIT) |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Biodeterioration caused by bacteria, fungi and algae is a significant problem in the conservation of cultural heritage. There is currently a drive to use nanomaterials in the protection and conservation of cultural heritage. The Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology in Italy has designed a novel coating for long term protection that uses nanomaterials and combines the promising attributes of transparency, low/no toxicity alongside activity regeneration in order to minimize the use of expensive catalytic nanomaterials, making this technology compatible with "building a green future" strategy. This FTMA will initiate a collaboration between the Open Innovation for Antimicrobial Surfaces at the University of Liverpool and the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology in Italy. Specifically, the FTMA will enable the University of Liverpool to host a researcher from the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology for a few months in order to characterise the novel coatings that have been created by the Italian researchers. The complementary expertise of the two partners will be utilised to evaluate and understand the photoantimicrobial activity of these novel coatings. These results will provide a platform for optimising the formulation for use in the field. The results of this project bring novel insights to the field of antimicrobial surface protection of heritage assets. We anticipate successful coatings to also be relevant to the Heritage department in Liverpool who are active in conservation, and to the UK cultural heritage preservation efforts. In addition, the final formulation has the potential to impact different fields beside the conservation of cultural heritage e.g. in the built environment to secure better health and wellbeing by preventing the surface-mediated spread of infections. The project aligns with "Building a green future" and "Securing better health, aging, and wellbeing" UKRI Strategic Themes. The development of antimicrobial coatings for cultural heritage conservation and the broader applications of the coatings in the built environment will benefit public health by preventing infections, contributing to both sustainability and wellbeing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Biodeterioration caused by bacteria, fungi and algae is a significant problem in the conservation of cultural heritage. There is currently a drive to use nanomaterials in the protection and conservation of cultural heritage. The Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology in Italy has designed a novel coating for long term protection that uses nanomaterials and combines the promising attributes of transparency, low/no toxicity alongside activity regeneration in order to minimize the use of expensive catalytic nanomaterials, making this technology compatible with "building a green future" strategy. This FTMA will initiate a collaboration between the Open Innovation for Antimicrobial Surfaces at the University of Liverpool and the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology in Italy. Specifically, the FTMA will enable the University of Liverpool to host a researcher from the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology for a few months in order to characterise the novel coatings that have been created by the Italian researchers. The complementary expertise of the two partners will be utilised to evaluate and understand the photoantimicrobial activity of these novel coatings. These results will provide a platform for optimising the formulation for use in the field. The results of this project bring novel insights to the field of antimicrobial surface protection of heritage assets. We anticipate successful coatings to also be relevant to the Heritage department in Liverpool who are active in conservation, and to the UK cultural heritage preservation efforts. In addition, the final formulation has the potential to impact different fields beside the conservation of cultural heritage e.g. in the built environment to secure better health and wellbeing by preventing the surface-mediated spread of infections. The project aligns with "Building a green future" and "Securing better health, aging, and wellbeing" UKRI Strategic Themes. The development of antimicrobial coatings for cultural heritage conservation and the broader applications of the coatings in the built environment will benefit public health by preventing infections, contributing to both sustainability and wellbeing. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC_FTMA_2024_001 Photo-antimicrobial Coatings for Heritage Preservation |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Biodeterioration caused by bacteria, fungi and algae is a significant problem in the conservation of cultural heritage. There is currently a drive to use nanomaterials in the protection and conservation of cultural heritage. The Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology in Italy has designed a novel coating for long term protection that uses nanomaterials and combines the promising attributes of transparency, low/no toxicity alongside activity regeneration in order to minimize the use of expensive catalytic nanomaterials, making this technology compatible with "building a green future" strategy. This FTMA will initiate a collaboration between the Open Innovation for Antimicrobial Surfaces at the University of Liverpool and the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology in Italy. Specifically, the FTMA will enable the University of Liverpool to host a researcher from the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology for a few months in order to characterise the novel coatings that have been created by the Italian researchers. The complementary expertise of the two partners will be utilised to evaluate and understand the photoantimicrobial activity of these novel coatings. These results will provide a platform for optimising the formulation for use in the field. The results of this project bring novel insights to the field of antimicrobial surface protection of heritage assets. We anticipate successful coatings to also be relevant to the Heritage department in Liverpool who are active in conservation, and to the UK cultural heritage preservation efforts. In addition, the final formulation has the potential to impact different fields beside the conservation of cultural heritage e.g. in the built environment to secure better health and wellbeing by preventing the surface-mediated spread of infections. The project aligns with "Building a green future" and "Securing better health, aging, and wellbeing" UKRI Strategic Themes. The development of antimicrobial coatings for cultural heritage conservation and the broader applications of the coatings in the built environment will benefit public health by preventing infections, contributing to both sustainability and wellbeing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Biodeterioration caused by bacteria, fungi and algae is a significant problem in the conservation of cultural heritage. There is currently a drive to use nanomaterials in the protection and conservation of cultural heritage. The Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology in Italy has designed a novel coating for long term protection that uses nanomaterials and combines the promising attributes of transparency, low/no toxicity alongside activity regeneration in order to minimize the use of expensive catalytic nanomaterials, making this technology compatible with "building a green future" strategy. This FTMA will initiate a collaboration between the Open Innovation for Antimicrobial Surfaces at the University of Liverpool and the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology in Italy. Specifically, the FTMA will enable the University of Liverpool to host a researcher from the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology for a few months in order to characterise the novel coatings that have been created by the Italian researchers. The complementary expertise of the two partners will be utilised to evaluate and understand the photoantimicrobial activity of these novel coatings. These results will provide a platform for optimising the formulation for use in the field. The results of this project bring novel insights to the field of antimicrobial surface protection of heritage assets. We anticipate successful coatings to also be relevant to the Heritage department in Liverpool who are active in conservation, and to the UK cultural heritage preservation efforts. In addition, the final formulation has the potential to impact different fields beside the conservation of cultural heritage e.g. in the built environment to secure better health and wellbeing by preventing the surface-mediated spread of infections. The project aligns with "Building a green future" and "Securing better health, aging, and wellbeing" UKRI Strategic Themes. The development of antimicrobial coatings for cultural heritage conservation and the broader applications of the coatings in the built environment will benefit public health by preventing infections, contributing to both sustainability and wellbeing. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Next Generation MMA - NBIC regional Innovation Voucher |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Evaluated antimicrobial cleaning solution for gym mats. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Next Generation have provided samples. This collaboration is part of NBIC regional Innovation Voucher. |
| Impact | Allowed the company to add to their product claims. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Openhouse Products - NBIC regional Innovation Voucher |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Evaluating antimicrobial materials for bags and holdalls used by the emergency services. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Openhouse have provided samples. This collaboration is part of NBIC regional Innovation Voucher. |
| Impact | Allowed the company to add to their product claims. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | PhD Investigating the Local Mode of Action of Anti-Perspirants using model systems and advanced probing techniques (UoL and Unilever) |
| Organisation | Unilever |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This EPSRC Case PhD studentship is a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and Unilever to understand the action of personal care products on skin at the localised chemical level. Personal care products represent a £multi-billion global industry. Such products often require high level chemistry to work synergistically within a complex biological environment. However, the actual action of such products is not understood well due to the difficulty of tracking events within a living system. This project will aim to create a step-change in this field by utilising advanced fabrication to mimic biological systems and then deploying sophisticated techniques to understand the action of anti-perspirants. The PhD student will be based at the Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool and will work within the Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces and the Surface Science Research Centre. The Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces at the University of Liverpool is at the forefront of translating scientific advances into innovation and is one of the four core partners of the NBIC. The student will have the opportunity to enrol in NBIC's Doctoral Training Centre which trains interdisciplinary PhD researchers at the Interface of Physical and Life Sciences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Industry collaborator has decided to support the PhD Studentship. |
| Impact | Ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | PhD Investigating the Local Mode of Action of Anti-Perspirants using model systems and advanced probing techniques (UoL and Unilever) |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This EPSRC Case PhD studentship is a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and Unilever to understand the action of personal care products on skin at the localised chemical level. Personal care products represent a £multi-billion global industry. Such products often require high level chemistry to work synergistically within a complex biological environment. However, the actual action of such products is not understood well due to the difficulty of tracking events within a living system. This project will aim to create a step-change in this field by utilising advanced fabrication to mimic biological systems and then deploying sophisticated techniques to understand the action of anti-perspirants. The PhD student will be based at the Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool and will work within the Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces and the Surface Science Research Centre. The Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces at the University of Liverpool is at the forefront of translating scientific advances into innovation and is one of the four core partners of the NBIC. The student will have the opportunity to enrol in NBIC's Doctoral Training Centre which trains interdisciplinary PhD researchers at the Interface of Physical and Life Sciences. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Industry collaborator has decided to support the PhD Studentship. |
| Impact | Ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Proof of principal visualisation of live bacteria in wound dressing |
| Organisation | Smith and Nephew |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Worked with Smith and Nephew to demonstrate a proof of principal visualisation of live bacteria in wound dressing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Worked with the University to demonstrate a proof of principal visualisation of live bacteria in wound dressing. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proof of principal visualisation of live bacteria in wound dressing |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Worked with Smith and Nephew to demonstrate a proof of principal visualisation of live bacteria in wound dressing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Worked with the University to demonstrate a proof of principal visualisation of live bacteria in wound dressing. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proposal to BBSRC Flexible Talent Mobility Accounts (FTMA) - 2024 |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Lead on the proposal |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contributed to the formulation of the proposal |
| Impact | The proposal was successful, securing £300k to be distributed between NBIC partners and members over 3 years from April 2024 |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proposal to BBSRC Flexible Talent Mobility Accounts (FTMA) - 2024 |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Lead on the proposal |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contributed to the formulation of the proposal |
| Impact | The proposal was successful, securing £300k to be distributed between NBIC partners and members over 3 years from April 2024 |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proposal to EPSRC Tackling infections novel technologies mini sandpit Call |
| Organisation | Agri-EPI Centre Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Lead on the proposal |
| Collaborator Contribution | Co-formulated the proposal |
| Impact | No outputs - the proposal was unsuccessful |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proposal to EPSRC Tackling infections novel technologies mini sandpit Call |
| Organisation | High Value Manufacturing Catapult |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Lead on the proposal |
| Collaborator Contribution | Co-formulated the proposal |
| Impact | No outputs - the proposal was unsuccessful |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proposal to EPSRC Tackling infections novel technologies mini sandpit Call |
| Organisation | Medicines Discovery Catapult |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Lead on the proposal |
| Collaborator Contribution | Co-formulated the proposal |
| Impact | No outputs - the proposal was unsuccessful |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proposal to EPSRC Tackling infections novel technologies mini sandpit Call |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Department | School of Physics and Astronomy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Lead on the proposal |
| Collaborator Contribution | Co-formulated the proposal |
| Impact | No outputs - the proposal was unsuccessful |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proposal to EPSRC Tackling infections novel technologies mini sandpit Call |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Lead on the proposal |
| Collaborator Contribution | Co-formulated the proposal |
| Impact | No outputs - the proposal was unsuccessful |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proposal to EPSRC Tackling infections novel technologies mini sandpit Call |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Lead on the proposal |
| Collaborator Contribution | Co-formulated the proposal |
| Impact | No outputs - the proposal was unsuccessful |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Proposal to Innovate UK, Regulatory Networks Call |
| Organisation | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Formulated and submitted a successful proposal to Innovate UK call for the establishment of Regulatory Networks Discovery Phase. Lead on the proposal. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Jointly formulated and submitted the proposal. |
| Impact | Proposal was successful, securing funding of £50,000 for the three partners to carry out further engagements and proposal formulation for the Implementation Phase of this programme. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Proposal to the European Partnership on Metrology - Green Call |
| Organisation | BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Partner in an European consortium of 10 partners proposing a project to the EURAMET. Proposal title: Metrology framework for Biomass and Biodiversity Measurement in Renewable Energy Systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Jointly developed and submitted the proposal. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Proposal to the European Partnership on Metrology - Green Call |
| Organisation | Danish Fundamental Metrology |
| Country | Denmark |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Partner in an European consortium of 10 partners proposing a project to the EURAMET. Proposal title: Metrology framework for Biomass and Biodiversity Measurement in Renewable Energy Systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Jointly developed and submitted the proposal. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Proposal to the European Partnership on Metrology - Green Call |
| Organisation | Institute Josef Stefan |
| Country | Slovenia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Partner in an European consortium of 10 partners proposing a project to the EURAMET. Proposal title: Metrology framework for Biomass and Biodiversity Measurement in Renewable Energy Systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Jointly developed and submitted the proposal. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Proposal to the European Partnership on Metrology - Green Call |
| Organisation | Institute for Natural Resources and Agrobiology |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Partner in an European consortium of 10 partners proposing a project to the EURAMET. Proposal title: Metrology framework for Biomass and Biodiversity Measurement in Renewable Energy Systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Jointly developed and submitted the proposal. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Proposal to the European Partnership on Metrology - Green Call |
| Organisation | Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Partner in an European consortium of 10 partners proposing a project to the EURAMET. Proposal title: Metrology framework for Biomass and Biodiversity Measurement in Renewable Energy Systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Jointly developed and submitted the proposal. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Proposal to the European Partnership on Metrology - Green Call |
| Organisation | University of Ljubljana |
| Country | Slovenia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Partner in an European consortium of 10 partners proposing a project to the EURAMET. Proposal title: Metrology framework for Biomass and Biodiversity Measurement in Renewable Energy Systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Jointly developed and submitted the proposal. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Proposal to the European Partnership on Metrology - Green Call |
| Organisation | University of Surrey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Partner in an European consortium of 10 partners proposing a project to the EURAMET. Proposal title: Metrology framework for Biomass and Biodiversity Measurement in Renewable Energy Systems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Jointly developed and submitted the proposal. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Quantum Science - NBIC Regional Business Assist |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Provided testing and analysis of samples using specialist Equipment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Quantum Science have provided samples. This collaboration is part of NBIC Business Assist. |
| Impact | Ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Radwraps - NBIC Regional Innovation Voucher |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Evaluated an adhesive to be used for NHS sites. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided samples. This collaboration was a NBIC Regional Innovation voucher assist. |
| Impact | Pending. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Razorglass - NBIC regional Innovation Voucher |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Evaluating new materials for personal care. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Quantum Science have provided samples. This collaboration is part of NBIC regional Innovation Voucher. |
| Impact | Allowed the company to add to their product claims. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Rexyn Ltd - NBIC regional Innovation Voucher |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Provided information on standards required to evaluate clinical mattresses for low mobility patients. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Rexyn Ltd have provided samples. This collaboration is part of NBIC regional Innovation Voucher. |
| Impact | Allowed the company to add to their product claims. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | SEPAL fellowship with the Scottish Government |
| Organisation | Government of Scotland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Professor Cait MacPhee has been awarded a Science, Evidence and Policy Active Learning (SEPAL) Fellowship as a secondee to advise the Scottish Government. This fellowship focuses on recovering critical raw materials from waste, exploring leading-edge technologies, and maximising resource recovery, particularly targeting historic landfill sites. By improving communication between researchers and policymakers, scientific findings could be effectively translated into practical policies, with a goal of mitigating the impact of biofilms to promote a healthier, more sustainable environment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Professor Cait MacPhee has been awarded a Science, Evidence and Policy Active Learning (SEPAL) Fellowship as a secondee to advise the Scottish Government. This fellowship focuses on recovering critical raw materials from waste, exploring leading-edge technologies, and maximising resource recovery, particularly targeting historic landfill sites. By improving communication between researchers and policymakers, scientific findings could be effectively translated into practical policies, with a goal of mitigating the impact of biofilms to promote a healthier, more sustainable environment. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | SEPAL fellowship with the Scottish Government |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Professor Cait MacPhee has been awarded a Science, Evidence and Policy Active Learning (SEPAL) Fellowship as a secondee to advise the Scottish Government. This fellowship focuses on recovering critical raw materials from waste, exploring leading-edge technologies, and maximising resource recovery, particularly targeting historic landfill sites. By improving communication between researchers and policymakers, scientific findings could be effectively translated into practical policies, with a goal of mitigating the impact of biofilms to promote a healthier, more sustainable environment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Professor Cait MacPhee has been awarded a Science, Evidence and Policy Active Learning (SEPAL) Fellowship as a secondee to advise the Scottish Government. This fellowship focuses on recovering critical raw materials from waste, exploring leading-edge technologies, and maximising resource recovery, particularly targeting historic landfill sites. By improving communication between researchers and policymakers, scientific findings could be effectively translated into practical policies, with a goal of mitigating the impact of biofilms to promote a healthier, more sustainable environment. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | SOE Health Ltd - NBIC Regional Innovation Voucher |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We awarded an innovation voucher to SOE Health to perform some testing through access to our facilities and expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners provided access to a technology. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Second collaboration with SETSquared |
| Organisation | SETsquared Partnership |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | NBIC and SetSquared worked together again in 2025 to run a second biofilms-focused ICURe programme. Three researchers from NBIC's partner universities took part to explore how to transform their innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SETsquared is an ICURe delivery partner and runs regular cohorts of the programme. |
| Impact | The teams continue to work on translating their ideas into real world applications. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Silverray LTD - NBIC Regional Business Assist |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Carried out the research project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project partners. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Summer undergraduate project - Grand challenges in emissions and possible solutions |
| Organisation | Scottish Water |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Impact | The undergraduate student involved gained experience of working on an industrially relevant problem. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Summer undergraduate project - Grand challenges in emissions and possible solutions |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Impact | The undergraduate student involved gained experience of working on an industrially relevant problem. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Symcel & University of Liverpool |
| Organisation | Symcel AB |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Collaborating on a joint development of a new facility. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Symcel have provided equipment training as part of the joint development of a new facility |
| Impact | Ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Symcel & University of Liverpool |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaborating on a joint development of a new facility. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Symcel have provided equipment training as part of the joint development of a new facility |
| Impact | Ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | The Pillow With A Hole - NBIC regional Innovation Voucher |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Testing textile fabrics suitable for antimicrobial pillows used in healthcare and leisure applications. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Pillow with a Hole have provided samples. This collaboration is part of NBIC regional Innovation Voucher. |
| Impact | Allowed the company to add to their product claims. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Training event on the Fundamentals of Metrology |
| Organisation | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Biofilms Alliance and the National Measurement Laboratory (LGC) organised two free, 1-day online courses designed for scientists and professionals working with biofilms, analytical methods, and measurement data: Essential Statistics (Learn how to summarise data, apply significance testing, and use statistics to strengthen quality assurance) and Introduction to Method Validation (Understand how to ensure methods are fit for purpose, produce reliable results, and support confident decision-making). These courses are aimed at those developing test methods, optimising processes, or assessing biofilm controls. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Biofilms Alliance and the National Measurement Laboratory (LGC) organised two free, 1-day online courses designed for scientists and professionals working with biofilms, analytical methods, and measurement data: Essential Statistics (Learn how to summarise data, apply significance testing, and use statistics to strengthen quality assurance) and Introduction to Method Validation (Understand how to ensure methods are fit for purpose, produce reliable results, and support confident decision-making). These courses are aimed at those developing test methods, optimising processes, or assessing biofilm controls. |
| Impact | N/A |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Training event on the Fundamentals of Metrology |
| Organisation | National Biofilms Innovation Centre |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The Biofilms Alliance and the National Measurement Laboratory (LGC) organised two free, 1-day online courses designed for scientists and professionals working with biofilms, analytical methods, and measurement data: Essential Statistics (Learn how to summarise data, apply significance testing, and use statistics to strengthen quality assurance) and Introduction to Method Validation (Understand how to ensure methods are fit for purpose, produce reliable results, and support confident decision-making). These courses are aimed at those developing test methods, optimising processes, or assessing biofilm controls. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Biofilms Alliance and the National Measurement Laboratory (LGC) organised two free, 1-day online courses designed for scientists and professionals working with biofilms, analytical methods, and measurement data: Essential Statistics (Learn how to summarise data, apply significance testing, and use statistics to strengthen quality assurance) and Introduction to Method Validation (Understand how to ensure methods are fit for purpose, produce reliable results, and support confident decision-making). These courses are aimed at those developing test methods, optimising processes, or assessing biofilm controls. |
| Impact | N/A |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Training event on the Fundamentals of Metrology |
| Organisation | National Measurement Laboratory |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The Biofilms Alliance and the National Measurement Laboratory (LGC) organised two free, 1-day online courses designed for scientists and professionals working with biofilms, analytical methods, and measurement data: Essential Statistics (Learn how to summarise data, apply significance testing, and use statistics to strengthen quality assurance) and Introduction to Method Validation (Understand how to ensure methods are fit for purpose, produce reliable results, and support confident decision-making). These courses are aimed at those developing test methods, optimising processes, or assessing biofilm controls. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Biofilms Alliance and the National Measurement Laboratory (LGC) organised two free, 1-day online courses designed for scientists and professionals working with biofilms, analytical methods, and measurement data: Essential Statistics (Learn how to summarise data, apply significance testing, and use statistics to strengthen quality assurance) and Introduction to Method Validation (Understand how to ensure methods are fit for purpose, produce reliable results, and support confident decision-making). These courses are aimed at those developing test methods, optimising processes, or assessing biofilm controls. |
| Impact | N/A |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Training event on the Fundamentals of Metrology |
| Organisation | Swansea University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Biofilms Alliance and the National Measurement Laboratory (LGC) organised two free, 1-day online courses designed for scientists and professionals working with biofilms, analytical methods, and measurement data: Essential Statistics (Learn how to summarise data, apply significance testing, and use statistics to strengthen quality assurance) and Introduction to Method Validation (Understand how to ensure methods are fit for purpose, produce reliable results, and support confident decision-making). These courses are aimed at those developing test methods, optimising processes, or assessing biofilm controls. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Biofilms Alliance and the National Measurement Laboratory (LGC) organised two free, 1-day online courses designed for scientists and professionals working with biofilms, analytical methods, and measurement data: Essential Statistics (Learn how to summarise data, apply significance testing, and use statistics to strengthen quality assurance) and Introduction to Method Validation (Understand how to ensure methods are fit for purpose, produce reliable results, and support confident decision-making). These courses are aimed at those developing test methods, optimising processes, or assessing biofilm controls. |
| Impact | N/A |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Undergraduate summer research project with Blue Planet Ecosystems (Gavin Melaugh) |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supervision and funding for a summer undergraduate research project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision for a summer undergraduate research project. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Understanding the growth behaviour and host interactions of Labyrinthula on seagrass |
| Organisation | Project Seagrass |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Impact | The undergraduate student gained experience of working on an environmentally relevant, longer term research project. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Understanding the growth behaviour and host interactions of Labyrinthula on seagrass |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision for this summer project. |
| Impact | The undergraduate student gained experience of working on an environmentally relevant, longer term research project. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | University of Belfast & University of Liverpool - November 2024 |
| Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Provided testing of samples using specialist equipment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided samples for testing |
| Impact | Skills and Knowledge gained |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | University of Porto, Centre for Biofilm Engineering (CBE) & University of Liverpool - November 2024 |
| Organisation | Montana State University |
| Department | Center for Biofilm Engineering |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Prof. Darla Goeres from the CBE and University of Porto visited the SSRC, activities included a tour of the SSRC and other University of Liverpool facilities such as CCI and GeneMill; oral presentation by members of the Raval group and Prof. Goeres and discussions of possible collaborations between the two groups on biofilms projects. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Prof. Darla Goeres from the CBE and University of Porto visited the SSRC, activities included a tour of the SSRC and other UofLiverpool facilities such as CCI and GeneMill; oral presentation by members of the Raval group and Prof. Goeres and discussions of possible collaborations between the two groups on biofilms projects. Projects identified. Partnership contributes exchange of mutual expertise to tackle projects. |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | University of Porto, Centre for Biofilm Engineering (CBE) & University of Liverpool - November 2024 |
| Organisation | University of Porto |
| Country | Portugal |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Prof. Darla Goeres from the CBE and University of Porto visited the SSRC, activities included a tour of the SSRC and other University of Liverpool facilities such as CCI and GeneMill; oral presentation by members of the Raval group and Prof. Goeres and discussions of possible collaborations between the two groups on biofilms projects. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Prof. Darla Goeres from the CBE and University of Porto visited the SSRC, activities included a tour of the SSRC and other UofLiverpool facilities such as CCI and GeneMill; oral presentation by members of the Raval group and Prof. Goeres and discussions of possible collaborations between the two groups on biofilms projects. Projects identified. Partnership contributes exchange of mutual expertise to tackle projects. |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Visit of Guillermo Maroniche to NBIC at Nottingham |
| Organisation | National University of Mar del Plata |
| Country | Argentina |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We will be able to host Dr Gillermo Maroniche from Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias at the Universidad Nacional de Mar de la Plata (Buenos Aires) in the NBIC labs in Nottingham to carry out a piece of collaborative work on plant growth promoting bacterium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Guillermo Maroniche has obtained a grant from CONICET to visit NBIC at Nottingham in 2025 for 4 months and will use his expertise to carry out a piece of work using the facilites at Nottingham. This will lead to joint publications and longer term collaborations. |
| Impact | CONICET Visiting Fellowship Awarded to Dr Gillermo Maroniche to visit NBIC at Nottingham for 4 months. This is a multidisciplinary collaboration. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Title | A New Class of Antibiotics |
| Description | From https://biofilms.ac.uk/a-new-class-of-antibiotics/: "By 2050, without further antibiotic development, AMR will cause mortality to more people than cancer. This translates to 10 million deaths per year and will have profound health and economic consequences ($100 trillion, AMR review 2016, UK Government). MDR-pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Enterococcus spp. (vancomycin-resistant enterococci, VRE) are on the WHO and CDC high-priority AMR list because of decreasing or limited treatment options and increasing morbidity, and mortality in patients by these pathogens. In 2019 alone, MRSA caused >100,000 deaths and 3.5 million disability-adjusted life-years. Nearly all antibiotics in the clinic have resistance problems, and existing antibiotics are failing. We have developed a new class of antibiotics that combat multi-drug resistance (MDR) bacterial infections without detectable resistance. These antibiotics effectively target highly conserved bacterial-specific lipids, offering a multi-pronged approach against MDR bacterial pathogens. We proudly offer a remarkable 4000-fold reduction in costs compared to natural molecules, facilitated by an automated high-yielding (40%) synthesis. Furthermore, our antibiotics have exhibited good tolerability in mice, with dosing at 50-150mg/kg every 8 hours for 24 hours. Our antibiotics would address this urgent clinical need, especially to treat infections arising from MDR Gram-positive pathogens such as MRSA. I participated in the NBIC funded Biofilms ICURe Sprint, with SETsquared during phase 1, to seek market validation for our technology. The project received positive feedback during the options roundabout panel, leading to a successful pitch and recommendation for a spinout. The progress carried over onto phase 2, where I acquired essential commercial skills including licensing, spinout, and negotiation. Upon completing the ICURe program, we pursued the recommended follow-on funding from Innovate UK, securing £300,000 to establish a spin-out. At present, we are on the verge of spinning out and actively pursuing further funding and collaboration opportunities. The journey from lab to clinic demands substantial time and financial resources. However, we are confident in our position and anticipate a timely spin-out to accelerate the commercialisation of our technology." |
| Type | Therapeutic Intervention - Drug |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | N/A |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/a-new-class-of-antibiotics/ |
| Title | Advanced imaging of co-biofilms produced by commensal and uropathogenic bacteria |
| Description | From https://www.tecrea.com/tecrea-announces-successful-completion-of-nbic-flexible-talent-mobility-accounts-award-project/: Through an NBIC FTMA award Tecrea undertook an "an industry-academia exchange and collaboration with the Bladder Infection and Immunity Group, UCL. This grant has facilitated a fruitful exchange of knowledge and expertise The grant was used advanced imaging training of uropathogenic and commensal biofilms. This training has equipped our team with cutting-edge techniques to visualize and understand the complex interactions within biofilms, which play a crucial role in bladder infections. Moreover, the grant enabled the evaluation of Tecrea's innovative Nanocin technology for its anti-uropathogenic action. This evaluation marks a significant step forward in our commitment to developing novel solutions for combating uropathogenic bacteria, with the potential to revolutionize treatment strategies for bladder infections." |
| Type | Support Tool - For Fundamental Research |
| Current Stage Of Development | Small-scale adoption |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | N/A |
| URL | https://web.archive.org/web/20250228150854/https://www.tecrea.com/tecrea-announces-successful-comple... |
| Title | Diagnostic target product profiles (TPPs) detailing key characteristics of new tests needed to detect and manage lung infections in CF |
| Description | The Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Syndicate recently launched their diagnostic target product profiles (TPPs) detailing key characteristics of new tests needed to detect and manage lung infections in CF. A TPP is guidance document outlining desired or key characteristics that a product (e.g. a medicine or diagnostic test) should have in order to address a specific need. The CF AMR Syndicate together with the NIHR Newcastle HealthTech Research Centre (HRC), have undertaken extensive engagement with a broad range of experts across the CF AMR community, including people affected by CF, clinical teams, researchers from academia and industry to understand the unmet needs and define the TPPs. The acceptance of a diagnostic test among people with CF is paramount to its successful use. These TPPs provide a 'blueprint' for innovators, to guide development of diagnostic tests compatible with the needs and priorities of people with CF. The CF AMR Syndicate is a collaboration between the Medicines Discovery Catapult, Cystic Fibrosis Trust and LifeArc. It brings together leading experts in CF/AMR from industry, academia and people living with CF to accelerate the discovery and development of new antimicrobials and diagnostics for CF related lung infections. NBIC's Nottingham Co-Director, Professor Miguel Camara is a member of the steering committee, which oversees the work conducted by the syndicate. |
| Type | Support Tool - For Medical Intervention |
| Current Stage Of Development | Wide-scale adoption |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Actively seeking support |
| Impact | More information on the TPPs can be found here https://cfamr.org.uk/toolkit/target-product-profiles-for-diagnostics/ |
| URL | https://cfamr.org.uk/toolkit/target-product-profiles-for-diagnostics/ |
| Title | In Vitro and In Vivo Studies on a Mononuclear Ruthenium Complex Reveals It is a Highly Effective, Fast-Acting, Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial in Physiologically Relevant Conditions |
| Description | From https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00447: "The crystal structure of a previously reported antimicrobial RuII complex that targets bacterial DNA is presented. Studies utilizing clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria that cause catheter-associated urinary tract infection, (CA)UTI, in media that model urine and plasma reveal that good antimicrobial activity is maintained in all conditions tested. Experiments with a series of Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates show that, unlike the majority of previously reported RuII-based antimicrobial leads, the compound retains its potent activity even in MRSA strains. Furthermore, experiments using bacteria in early exponential growth and at different pHs reveal that the compound also retains its activity across a range of conditions that are relevant to those encountered in clinical settings. Combinatorial studies involving cotreatment with conventional antibiotics or a previously reported analogous dinuclear RuII complex showed no antagonistic effects. In fact, although all combinations show distinct additive antibacterial activity, in one case, this effect approaches synergy. It was found that the Galleria Mellonella model organism infected with a multidrug resistant strain of the ESKAPE pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii could be successfully treated and totally cleared within 48 h after a single dose of the lead complex with no detectable deleterious effect to the host." |
| Type | Therapeutic Intervention - Drug |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | N/A |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00447 |
| Title | Polymer-Coated Urinary Catheter |
| Description | From https://journals.lww.com/juop/fulltext/2024/01000/polymer_coated_urinary_catheter_reduces_biofilm.5.aspx: "Biofilm formation and biomineralization on urinary catheters may cause severe complications including infection and obstruction. Here, we describe an in vitro evaluation and prospective pilot clinical study of a silicone catheter coated with a biofilm-resistant polymer...In vitro P. mirabilis and P. aeruginosa formed significantly less biofilm and biomineral and failed to block coated compared with uncoated catheters in a bladder model after 89 h. Biofilm-resistant polymer-coated catheters (n = 83) recovered from hospitalized patients exhibited significantly lower biofilm biomass and biomineralization compared with uncoated silicone catheters (n = 78). Electron microscopy with elemental analysis of recovered catheters revealed calcium oxalate crystals on coated compared with the struvite and apatite crystals on uncoated catheters associated with catheter blockage. Lower levels of biofilm-promoting fibrinogen in postcatheterization urine and on catheters from patients receiving coated catheters was observed compared with those receiving uncoated catheters indicative of a reduced inflammatory response. Conclusions: These data provide evidence that polymer-coated urinary catheters exhibit enhanced resistance to fibrinogen deposition, biofilm formation, and encrustation, reducing the risks associated with catheter-associated urinary tract infections and obstruction." |
| Type | Therapeutic Intervention - Medical Devices |
| Current Stage Of Development | Refinement. Clinical |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Clinical Trial? | Yes |
| UKCRN/ISCTN Identifier | NCTC05513677 and NCTC05719753 |
| Impact | N/A. |
| URL | https://journals.lww.com/juop/fulltext/2024/01000/polymer_coated_urinary_catheter_reduces_biofilm.5.... |
| Title | Rapid diagnostic kits for Cystic Fibrosis |
| Description | From https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/new-spin-out-will-develop-rapid-diagnostic-kits-for-people-with-cystic-fibrosis: "People with cystic fibrosis will be able to test themselves at home for a common bacterium that can lead to a dangerous infection, thanks to a new diagnostic kit developed by experts from the University of Nottingham. The creation of a spin-out company, that will eventually manufacture the diagnostic kits, has been made possible thanks to the award of an Innovate UK-funded ICURe (Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research) Exploit grant, which has enabled the experts to turn their research into a market-ready business. This grant followed a successful Biofilms ICURe Sprint grant in partnership with the National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC). The University spin-out company, called MiDx Ltd, will be headed by Dr Shaun N Robertson from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham. He has led the commercialisation efforts alongside Professor Miguel Cámara who has developed a simple, specific, and non-invasive diagnostic test to enable the rapid detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a.) in people with cystic fibrosis partly through funding from NBIC and Cystic Fibrosis Trust. There is a pressing need for a straightforward, precise, and non-invasive diagnostic approach to identify P.a. during initial pulmonary infections, allowing for quicker and more straight-forward medical intervention. MiDx has pinpointed biomarkers unique to P.a., aiming to use them for the creation of an uncomplicated, cost-effective, and precise Point of Care diagnostic test for early detection of this pathogen." |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2024 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | N/A. |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/new-spin-out-will-develop-rapid-diagnostic-kits-for-people-with-cy... |
| Title | METzero: Microbial Electrolysis Cells technology |
| Description | METZero are a Newcastle University spin-out focused on using microbial electrochemical technology to treat wastewater in a more cost-effective, carbon-conscious manner. Their technology unlocks the trapped energy in the wastewater, efficiently removing the organic matter, and recovering hydrogen in the process. NBIC has supported METZero's research team via the Biofilms ICURe Sprint and they have now been awarded spin-out funding to transform their innovations into market-ready businesses. |
| Type Of Technology | New/Improved Technique/Technology |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | N/A. |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilms-icure-sprint-researchers-awarded-spin-out-funding/ |
| Company Name | BioTryp Therapeutics |
| Description | BioTryp Therapeutics researches and develops antibiofilm therapies for bacterial infections. |
| Year Established | 2023 |
| Impact | Impact to come, incorporated in 2023. |
| Website | http://biotryp.com |
| Company Name | METzero |
| Description | METzero develops a wastewater treatment and hydrogen recovery process. |
| Year Established | 2023 |
| Impact | Impact to come, incorporated in 2023. |
| Website | https://metzero.co.uk/ |
| Company Name | MiDx |
| Description | MiDx develops at-home diagnostic kits identifying a bacterium that can be deadly for people with conditions such as cystic fibrosis, aiming to decrease wait times for treatment. |
| Year Established | 2023 |
| Impact | Job creation. |
| Website | http://mi-dx.com/ |
| Company Name | PlasmaFresh |
| Description | PlasmaFresh develops decontamination solutions for the food and drink manufacturing industry, using cold plasma technologies. |
| Year Established | 2023 |
| Impact | The technology offers manufacturers a sustainable way to maintain hygiene standards, saving up to 90% on energy costs, requiring no water, and producing no chemical waste. |
| Website | https://plasmafresh.co/ |
| Company Name | Molecular Biophotonics Innovations Ltd |
| Description | |
| Year Established | 2023 |
| Impact | Founded in 2023, impact to come. |
| Description | #BiofilmWeek 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Our third biofilm awareness week took place between 18-24 November 2023 to coincide with World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) to highlight the relationship between Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and biofilms. A dedicated #BiofilmWeek webpage includes NBIC owned tools and resources to support scientists in industry and academia to create their own content in order to showcase their research and technologies throughout the week. The engagement with the awareness week was high. The Biofilm Week webpage has been viewed 3,870 times and the supporting hashtag '#BiofilmWeek' was used 270 times during the awareness week. Resource downloads of the website also saw an increase in October and November, with 6672 downloads in total across the month prior and during the campaign. Content from participants across the world included news articles, video content, photography and art. The week took place across all social media channels, but predominantly X/Twitter. Throughout the week, NBIC highlighted interesting and exciting biofilm research being undertaken across our NBIC partner research institutions and across our biofilm network, in the form of 6 'Research in Focus' video interviews and blogs and 6 new case studies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk/biofilmweek/ |
| Description | 10th Conference on Applied Hygiene, Microbiology and Virology |
| 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 | NBIC's Biofilms Standards and Regulatory Programme Manager ·attended this conference and gave a talk titled "Biofilms and Regulations - What is going on and what is coming?", which covered the challenges and needs surrounding biofilm regulations, while also introducing the mission of the newly established COST Action Biofilm RegulatoryToolBox. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://brillinstitutes.com/brillinstitutes.com/de/unser-unternehmen/events/10th%20Conference%20of%2... |
| Description | 2024 CBE Biofilms Science and Technology Meetings |
| 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 | In-person meeting for CBE Industrial Members and invited guests and a hands-on methods workshop for Industrial Members at the CBE labs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | 3rd annual NSG-University of LIverpool Symposium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC PhD student Abbie Johnson, attended the third annual NSG-University of Liverpool Symposium held by NSG Group. The symposium focused on ongoing partnership projects between the University of Liverpool and NSG Group, with several presentations from students and researchers from both the University of Liverpool and NSG. Abbie presented her work on antimicrobial coatings for glass surfaces. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | 4th LCR Innovation Board 2024 & Tour of Glass Futures (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | LCR Innovation Board Meeting and Tour of Glass Futures |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | AI in Shipping workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | In April 2024, the University of Southampton organised an AI/Shipping/Biofouling workshop. This is a follow-on activity that has resulted from an NBIC PoC project. 90% of world trade is seaborn and volumes are continuing to increase. The application of artificial intelligence (AI) within the shipping industry is a rapidly evolving field and this event explored the use of AI tools in the maritime industry. It was attended by industry and policy professionals as well as academics, including Prof. Jeremy Webb from NBIC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | ARIA launch (Cait MacPhee) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | NBIC were represented at the formal launch of ARIA (Advanced Research and Invention Agency), which was attended by numerous civil servants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Aarhus Advisory Board Meeting - Natural Sciences (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited as Scientific Advisory Panel Member The Faculty of Natural Sciences' Advisory Board advises the dean and the Dean's Office on strategy, visions and academic issues within the faculty's core areas: • Research • Collaboration • Degree programmes • Talent development Among other things, the Advisory Board is concerned with the quality of research, the faculty's range and development of degree programmes, and initiatives in relation to talent development and collaboration with external partners. The Advisory Board is composed of external members from Denmark and abroad representing key employers of faculty graduates and academic research and educational institutions. The Advisory Board meets once a year. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Advancing Biofilm Standards for Microbially Influenced Corrosion (MIC) workshop |
| 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 | The meeting was a joint initiative of the RegulatoryToolBox and Euro-MIC COST Actions and supported by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC). The workshop brought together experts from academia, industry, and metrology institutes to address key challenges in standardising biofilm and microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) methodologies, as well as to explore future directions in regulations and best practices. Industry representatives presented real-world case studies on MIC challenges and examine both established and emerging methods used in operational settings. This will be followed by a presentation on the role of metrology in standardisation and regulation, and an overview of the Euro-MIC pilot study on biocorrosion detection. The day will conclude with in-depth round-table discussions focused on identifying the most urgent needs in biofilm and MIC standardisation. Participants will work together to outline practical steps for improving standardisation across biocorrosion-affected industries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | BBC Futures Article: Our skin is teeming with microbes. We should learn to love them (Dr Holly Wilkinson) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | This article was produced from an interview with the BBC to discuss the importance of the skin microbiome in health and disease. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20240813-the-surprising-benefits-of-the-microbes-that-live-on-y... |
| Description | BEWISe on Trickling Filter Process Emissions Consortium Kick-Off Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Launch Event of the BEWISE Trickling Filter Research Project. This event will mark a significant milestone in progressing the research and advancing the understanding of trickling filter process emissions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Banff Innovation Summit (Jo Slater-Jefferies) |
| 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 | The Banff Innovation Summit was established in partnership between Alberta Innovates CEO Laura Kilcrease and SYNERGIE Global's Dr. Peter Riddles. The summit's purpose was to create a better-connected global innovation system by facilitating interaction among committed leaders and brokering collaborative global projects, thus accelerating the progress to solving global problems and creating opportunity for economic and social advancement. The inaugural summit was held at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel over three days (28-30 May 2023), with the following program emphasis: Day 1, Connect; Day 2, Collaborate and Day 3, Commit. An Advisory Group with members from participating countries gave input to the program and summit planning. A workshop was held in Banff Fairmont Springs hotel the year before to help plan and test ideas for this summit. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Banff Innovation Summit 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Banff Innovation Summit Model. The long term vision is to develop a more connected, collaborative global innovation ecosystem. The mission is to accelerate approaches to solving global problems and to scale the solutions for the benefit of all The Summit partners through leveraging greater investment and collaboration. The summit ethos is to invest where "we cannot do it on our own", strategically to be inclusive of diverse nations, and apply principles of sustainability. The summit will critically evaluate and broker its projects based on this framework. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Beyond Antibiotics, EPSRC Programme Grant, Steering Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Advisory / Steering Group, Beyond Antibiotics EPSRC Programme Grant (Eleanor Stride, University of Oxford as PI), 24th Jan. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Biodiscovery Institute 20th Anniversary |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Biodiscovery Institute 20th Anniversary: 80 science leaders, policy makers, funders and company representatives attend the Biodiscovery Institute to view the state-of-the-art facilities and find out about the research being undertaken. NBIC's Prof. Kim Hardie delivery of presentation of NBIC Nottingham's Research impact to the attendees. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/celebrating-20-years-of-the-bdi |
| Description | Biodiscovery Institute Scientific advisory board tour (Prof Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The Biodiscovery Institute strategic advisory board were provided with a tour of the National Biofilm Innovation Centre Labs and Pathogen imaging Centre. 15 people took up the opportunity and the facilities sparked questions and discussion about the cutting-edge resources and potential. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Biodiscovery Institute tour for University of Nottingham Council and Executive Board (Prof Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | University of Nottingham Council and also Universtity Executive Board members were given a tour of the Pathogen Imaging Centre and National Biofilm Innovation Centre. There was much discussion and questions sparked regarding the state of the art resources and their potential impact and applications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Biodiscovery equipment showcase (Prof Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A workshop was held to provide an overview of BBSRC ALERT funded platforms acquired at the University of Nottingham. Kim Hardie gave a talk about the Pathogen Imaging Centre and the School of Life Sciences Imaging Platform (SLIM) as well as the National Biofilm Innovation centre. Researchers and local companies attended and discussion about collaborative projects was undertaken. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Biofilm Alliance Conference 2025: UK Biofilms Innovation - Bridging Research and, Innovation and Regulations |
| 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 Biofilm Alliance Conference 2025 was held on 21 October at Conference Aston, Birmingham. It brought together leading voices from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies to explore the intersection of cutting-edge biofilm research, technological innovation, and regulatory science. The event provided a platform to showcase recent advances in biofilm management and regulation, while promoting cross-sector collaboration. Participants shared insights, aligned strategies, and explored how to accelerate the translation of research into practical, market-ready solutions - developing a shared vision for the future of biofilm management and regulation. The programme featured a comprehensive overview of contemporary biofilm research and its practical applications, through lectures, discussions, and networking sessions that enabled exchange of knowledge, debate, and the identification of collaborative opportunities. The conference was structured around four thematic sessions, addressing distinct but interconnected aspects of biofilm research and management: Biofilms Affecting Industry Tackling Biofilm Challenges Solutions and Cooperative Initiatives Regulatory Landscape and Funding The conference was organised by NBIC, Manchester Metropolitan University, Swansea University and IMSL Ltd, under Biofilm Alliance Initiative. NBIC team played a vital role in the organisation and running of the conference. In addition, Paulina Rakowska chaired the event and Jo-Slater Jefferies giving opening talk. A key highlight was the open discussion session "Creating a Unified Framework - Cross-Sector Collaboration for Smarter Biofilm Regulation and Innovation". The discussion underscored that effective collaboration between academia, industry, and regulators is essential to develop cohesive, evidence-based biofilm standards that foster innovation while mitigating risks. Overall, the Biofilm Alliance Conference 2025, by fostering knowledge exchange and highlighting regulatory and technological developments, reinforced the value of aligning research, policy, and industrial practices to effectively address biofilm-related challenges, advancing the understanding and management of biofilms across multiple industries in the UK and internationally. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.biofilm-alliance.org/blog/biofilm-alliance-conference-2025 |
| Description | Biofilm RegulatoryToolBox Workshop - Regulatory Science: From Research to Market |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | NBIC's Biofilms Standards and Regulatory Programme Manager, Dr Paulina Rakowska, gave a talk at the Biofilm RegulatoryToolBox Workshop - Regulatory Science: From Research to Market. The webinar featured also talks from regulators, standardisation bodies and industry pursuing antibiofilm product claims. The event had an educational event, informing stakeholders on current state and hurdles of biofilm regulatory science in Europe. Participants reported increase in understanding of the field and willingness to get involved in regulatory-science related initiatives. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.biofilmtools.eu/event/ca23152-online-workshop-regulatory-science/ |
| Description | Biofilm matrix meeting in Singapore |
| 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 | NBIC Co-Directors, Profs Cait MacPhee and Jeremy Webb, were keynote speakers at a joint symposium with NBIC partners SCELE and SNBC in Singapore on "The Biofilm Matrix: Fundamental understanding and translational impact". The meeting explored key aspects of the biofilm matrix and the fundamental role of its components in biofilm formation, biofilm architecture and emergent properties, as well as biofilm matrix derived industrial applications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Biofilm seminar series at the University of Edinburgh (Gavin Melaugh) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh has launched a new research seminar series focussing on the interdisciplinary science of aggregated microbial communities and biofilms. The inaugural seminar had talks from NBIC Co-Director, Prof Cait MacPhee, and Prof Nicola Stanley-Wall (Dundee, Molecular Microbiology) on their complementary work on biofilms from two different disciplines. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Biofilm week 2025: Beyond the Biofilm blogs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | As part of Biofilm Week 2025, NBIC's new Beyond the Biofilm series shone a spotlight on exciting and diverse research from across our network. Their stories highlight not only innovation in research, but also the value of inclusion, collaboration, and diversity in driving scientific discovery. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/beyond-the-biofilm-blog/ |
| Description | Biofilms Alliance Forum: Roundtable workshop on biofilm methodologies and UK sector regulations (Industrial processes, water, built environment) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Biofilm Alliance Forum hosted at Manchester Metropolitan University (1-2 July 2025), brought together representatives from academia, industry, regulators, and standards organisations to discuss current practices, challenges, and opportunities in biofilm management and regulation across UK industry sectors. To support progress, the following priorities were identified for the Biofilm Alliance initiative and its partners: 1. Support the creation of reliable and sector-specific methods for identifying biofilms, testing treatment effectiveness, and conducting regular monitoring that reflects actual working conditions. 2. Build a central resource listing experts and organisations involved in biofilm research and management, making it easier for companies to find support and share knowledge. 3. Assist in creation of training and education programmes tailored to technicians, installers, and decision-makers, including online materials and certification options. 4. Encourage collaboration across sectors to share insights, align standards, and present a unified approach to regulatory development. 5. Evidence the need for investment in innovation. While direct funding may not be available, the Alliance can help build the case for investment in technologies such as antimicrobial surfaces, phage-based treatments, and genetic tools; supporting the community in securing funding and translating research into practical solutions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.biofilm-alliance.org/events/biofilm-alliance-forum |
| Description | Biofilms Alliance at the Broadlands Fun Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Innovate UK-funded Biofilm Alliance brought science to life with an interactive exhibit at the Broadlands Fun Day 2025 that had kids (and grown-ups) laughing, learning, and launching water pistols in the name of microbiology! Our hands-on biofilm-busting activity used clay "bacteria" embedded in hair gel to simulate biofilms, which are those stubborn microbial communities that resist antibiotics and disinfectants. Armed with water pistols functioning as antibiotics or disinfectants, children tried to blast them away, quickly discovering that biofilms are tougher than they look! Looking down a microscope for close-up encounters with microbes was popular as always. The activities sparked curiosity , teamwork , and plenty of excitement , all while delivering a powerful message about microbial biofilms. Parents and grandparents joined the conversations , also learning how researchers at Swansea University are actively tackling biofilms through development of: Novel antibacterial surfaces, Innovative treatment strategies, and Standardising methods to quantify wet and dry biofilms on surfaces. Visitors also shared real-world concerns on ineffective disinfectants and recurring microbial hashtag#contamination with professionals working in hashtag#healthcare, foodsafety, waterquality, and diagnostics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://broadlandsfunday.co.uk/ |
| Description | Biofilms Alliance networking |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The Biofilms Alliance has attended a number of conferences and industry events (SPATEX 2025, CBE Pathways to Products, Natural Products BioHub, Natural Products conference) to meet representatives from different sectors and identify industry needs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Biofilms Alliance working group meeting (June 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Biofilm Alliance is an initiative funded by Innovate UK to create a transformative network dedicated to tackling the global challenges posed by microbial biofilms. It is a partnership between NBIC, Manchester Metropolitan University, Swansea University, and IMSL (Industrial Microbiological Services). By bringing together experts from academia, industry, metrology, regulatory bodies, and standardisation organisations, they aim to bridge the gap between state-of-the-art research and effective regulation, fostering innovation in biofilm mitigation and control technologies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Biofilms ICURe Engage programme 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Biofilms ICURe Engage is a four-week, part-time online programme, delivered by the SETsquared Partnership, to help research students and technicians identify potential beneficiaries of their research, explore entrepreneurship, and start their journey to commercialisation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilms-icure-engage/ |
| Description | Biofilms North 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | This 2-day regional meeting held in September was aimed at biofilms researchers from academia, industry, policy and standardisation backgrounds from Scotland, the North-East of England and Northern Ireland to discuss biofilm challenges and opportunities. Forty-five attendees participated, with 11 representatives from industry and governmental bodies. The meeting was themed Oceans, Landwaters and Wastewater; Food, Drink and Agriculture; and the Built Environment and Infrastructure, and included discussion panels with all the speakers. During the second day, there was a sandpit to explore early-stage research collaborations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Biofilms and Food workshop with the UK Food Safety Research Network |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The workshop was jointly organised by NBIC, Food Safety Research Network and the Biofilm Alliance network and bring together food industry professionals, microbiologists and regulatory experts to discuss current challenges and needs, examine regulatory hurdles, and identify gaps in existing methodologies - all to support more agile and effective regulations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://fsrn.quadram.ac.uk/event/biofilm-methodologies-and-food-sector-regulation/ |
| Description | Biofilms11 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | NBIC and the Microbiology Society co-hosted Biofilms 11 in May 2025, continuing the conference's tradition of focusing on the fundamental understanding of biofilms and their role in driving the dynamics, activity, structure and function of microbial communities. This includes their interactions across microbiomes and viromes, and within environmental, industrial, and health settings. The conference also addressed cutting-edge technology developments, such as imaging, data-driven, and modelling approaches, integrating advances from both life and physical sciences for research and innovation applications.The conference spotlighted speakers from diverse career pathways and backgrounds within the biofilm community to offer inspiration and guidance to attendees at all career stages. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilms-11/ |
| Description | Biomedical Physics Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | NBIC Edinburgh Co-Director Prof Cait MacPhee spoke at a Biomedical Physics workshop in Edinburgh, which was co-hosted by the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics and NBIC in a session titled 'Physics of viruses and biofilms'. The aim of this workshop was to bring together researchers doing interdisciplinary work between physics and medicine. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Biopharma Webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC IRF, Dr Callum Highmore, was asked to give a presentation to people working in the food industry internationally relating to a recent project investigating Bactiscan, to assist with adoption of the technology into the sector. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Birmingham meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance and Mechanisms (Prof. Miguel Cámara) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Cámara repsented NBIC at this event and delivered a talk on 'Interfering with bacterial communication as a therapeutic approach' where he highlighted the research activities carried out by NBIC at Nottingham. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Career in science event at local school (Callum Highmore) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Dr Highmore (NBIC IRF) spoke at a career event at a local school. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Change Makers Live 2023 (Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | In March 2022, NBIC Liverpool Director Professor Rasmita Raval attended the business and innovation conference, Change Makers Live 2023, where she delivered a talk on the importance of biofilms. The presentation included an educational piece on beneficial and detrimental biofilms, as well as highlighting the multidisciplinary strength of the NBIC consortium across the UK, and leadership within the global scientific biofilm community. Change Makers Live is a national conference, hosted by Downtown in Business, exploring innovative solutions to the challenges facing the UK and global economy in the twenty-first century. The 2023 event in Liverpool gave leading entrepreneurs, academics, opinion formers, and politicians a platform to offer solutions to the key issues that are exercising decision-makers not just in the UK, but around the globe. Both Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education, and Wes Streeting, Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, addressed the conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk/highlighting-the-importance-of-biofilms/ |
| Description | City of Science Meeting of Minds II (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Discussion on advancing the idea of positioning Liverpool's future narrative as a 'city of science and innovation' over the next five years. Many more stakeholders will get involved as things progress. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Civic meeting - Isle of Wight |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof Jo Slater-Jefferies represented NBIC at a civic meeting on the Isle of Wight. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Coccus Pocus 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | In autumn 2023, the University of Hull launched their annual scary story competition for Halloween: Coccus Pocus! The event was organised for a fifth time, following four successful runs. NBIC supported the competition as part of our #BiofilmAware campaign, which is all about helping people to understand what biofilms are. A fantastic network of Coccus Pocus Ambassadors grew from four members to fifteen, including new ambassadors from France, Greece, Malta and Denmark. In 2023, 10 stories were received in total, both from school children (12-17 group) and university students (18+ group). The contestants were encouraged to write a short horror or sci-fi story between 500 and 2,000 words, including themes of antimicrobial resistance and/or microbial biofilms. The evaluation committee ranked stories according to the intrigue of their plot, use of language, character description and scientific soundness. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Crafternoon 2023 (Prof Nicola Stanley-Wall) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Different craft activities with a science twist and chat with activity facilitators - our women scientists. Adult event. Free. Held in the STEAM Hub at Dundee Central Library. Activities covered: - Microbiology (badge making) - this was the theme that I participated in sharing images from my research and talking about biofilms. - Neuroscience (painting) - Cardiology (origami) - Microscopy (fabric design) - Chemistry (crochet) - Forensic Science (cross stitch) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Ctr for Biofilm Engineering 2024 Anti-Biofilm Technologies: Pathways to Product Development Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Cait Macphee represented NBIC at this event. Organised by the Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE), the meeting engages industry, academia, and federal agencies in discussion on the impact of biofilm in our daily lives. Over the past decade, academic research advances and private company R&D efforts have led to the development of innovative anti-biofilm technologies with transformative potential in the consumer products and healthcare arenas. Likewise, advances in methods for studying and assessing biofilms have provided new insights into important biofilm characteristics such as why biofilms are difficult to kill and remove from surfaces. The CBE is sponsoring this meeting for the eleventh consecutive year in an effort to bring together industry, regulatory agencies, and academia to discuss anti-biofilm-related technologies, research, and regulatory pathways. This in-person meeting will feature talks on wounds, nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung infections, heater cooler units, food contact surfaces, and hard surface disinfection. These topics will be presented in the context of the FDA and EPA claims process. Additionally, a session will be devoted to the topic of self-regulating industries including the dental and personal care products sectors. The roster of speakers represents a cross-section of experts from industry, academia, healthcare, and regulatory agencies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.montana.edu/calendar/events/48388 |
| Description | Cystic Fibrosis AMR Syndicate Steering Committee (Miguel Camara) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Miguel is a member of the Cystic Fibrosis AMR Syndicate Steering Committee as NBIC representative. Miguel's role has been to represent the areas of unmet needs in biofilm research and innovation in the area of antimicrobials in cystic fibrosis contributing to the agenda of this committee. The committee meets an average of 3 times a year. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DSTL Aerosols and Microbiology Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | NBIC attended the DSTL Aerosols and Microbiology Meeting, and pitched a new policy brief on climate change. Feedback was requested from the community on the proposed recommendations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Delivery of description of NBIC Nottingham Research impact to policy makers and funders at Biodiscovery Institute 20th Anniversary |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | 80 science leaders, policy makers, funders and company representatives attend the Biodiscovery Institute to view the state of the art facilities and find out about the research being undertaken. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Delivery of description of NBIC Nottingham Research impact to policy makers and funders at Biodiscovery Institute 20th Anniversary (Prof Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | 80 science leaders, policy makers, funders and company representatives attend the Biodiscovery Institute to view the state of the art facilities and find out about the research being undertaken. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Doors open day 2024 at the King's Buildings campus, Univeristy of Edinburgh |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The NBIC Edinburgh team took part in the 2024 Doors Open Day at the King's Building campus at the University. NBIC's lego biofilm model was used to engage and interest the public in biofilms research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | East Midlands Microbiome Research network Research day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | East Midlands Microbiome Research Network Research Day. Supported by the NBIC Nottingham team and Medilink Midlands, the East Midlands Microbiome Research Network (EMMRN) Research Day took place at the University of Leicester on 3 July 2024 and brought together researchers and companies from across the Midlands to hear about the current hot-topics within the microbiome landscape from national leaders in the field. The event was attended by researchers, funders and industry. Speakers were drawn from across the UK and included a spotlight on the recipients of NBIC innovation vouchers and a 'how to' guide to interacting with policy makers effectively. In addition to an overview of NBIC Nottingham resources, NBIC associated researchers presented posters and engaged in the networking opportunities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/nbic/events/2024/emmrn-2024.aspx |
| Description | Economic and Wider Impacts Report Launch - University of Liverpool |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | An Economic and Wider Impacts Report has been produced to capture the impact the University of Liverpool has on the local area, the surrounding region and the wider UK. At the launch of the report, there was a discussion and presentation from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tim Jones, Professor Fiona Beveridge, Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Andrew Levers, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Place and Innovation, and Helenor Birt, Co-Director of Liverpool Law Clinic. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/about/economic-impact-report/ |
| Description | Edinburgh Innovations Healthcare Technologies showcase |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The NBIC Edinburgh team exhibited at a Health Technologies Industry Showcase in Edinburgh, which was attended by almost 200 people from industry and academia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Edinburgh Science Festival 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC Edinburgh took part in the Edinburgh Science Festival 2024, running a drop in event from the 2nd - 12th April 2024. The public was able to build LEGO microbes and bacteria to add to a 2m x 2m LEGO display of a model biofilm and be immersed in a biofilm weaving factory to build your own virtual biofilm fabric, using the latest Meta Quest 3 for a fully immersive VR experience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Engagement with Interface Online |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | NBIC Edinburgh are working with Interface to integrate Edinburgh's Innovation voucher scheme into their Innovation Voucher portal. This is a well-used system by Scottish Universities and working with Interface will increase the reach of the scheme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Engagement with MHRA, HSE, and UKHSA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC's Biofilms Standards and Regulatory Programme Manager engaged with Engagement with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the HSE (Health & Safety Executive), and the UK Health Security Agency to discuss possible areas of collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Engagement with Mayoral Office and Hospitals in the East Midlands region (Prof. Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Kim Hardie took part in discussions regional decision makers in the East Midlands (including the Mayoral Office, County Council, and Nottingham University Hospitals Trust) with regard to future infrastructural strategy and the potential of the creation of a geographically linked translational Hub where NBIC spin-outs could be housed. Kim gave an introductory talk about NBIC and NBIC Interdisciplinary Research Fellow, Dr Carey Lambert, provided a tour of Nottingham's facilities, including the microscopes and managed compound collection that are within the NBIC drug discovery pathway in Nottingham. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Establishment of Biofilm Alliance Website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A website has been established for led by NBIC Biofilm Alliance initiative, to encourage the growth of network cantered around creation of biofilm regulatory science in the UK. The website provides information of current activities, ways of getting involved and pathway to membership. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.biofilm-alliance.org/ |
| Description | EuroBiofilms '24 (Miguel Camara, Paulina Rakowska, Jeremy Webb, Jo Slater-Jefferies) |
| 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 | NBIC sponsored and had a stand at the EuroBiofilms '24 conference in Copenhagen June '24. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | European Light Microscopy Initiative 2024 (Elmi2024) |
| 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 | The European Light Microscopy Initiative is a network of European scientists working in the field of light microscopy and the manufacturers of their equipment. Its aim is to promote the quickly developing field of light microscopy as a fundamental research tool for the life sciences and to strengthen the channels of communication between researchers, core facilities and industry. The annual meeting is a mixture of scientific lectures on state-of-the-art, high-end microscopy combined with "hands-on" workshops and exhibition of the latest technology, organised by the leading companies in the field. NBIC attended Elmi2024 over 4 - 7 June 2024 in Liverpool, UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.elmi2024.org/ |
| Description | Federation of Infection Societies (FIS) conference attendance |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Attendence at the annual conference organised by the Federation of Infection Societies and the Healthcare Infection Society (HIS). It has a large number of participants from the medical field, particularly related to infection prevention practices. There were several presentations on biofilm infections and novel therapies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Festival of Science and Curiosity - Central Library Nottingham (Prof Miguel Cámara, Prof Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity took place between Monday 5 - Friday16 February 2024. The festival is produced by local charity Ignite!, and is a collaboration between UoN, NTU, local authorities across Nottinghamshire and cultural and educational organisations. The event took place in the Central Library in Nottingham. About 100 families engaged with our interactive activity about the transmission of infections and Biofilms. This sparked interest and discussion about the fundamental science and its applications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | First meeting of CA23152 Biofilm RegulatoryToolBox |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC are co-leaders of the EU COST Action CA23152: RegulatoryToolBox 'Building Consensus on Biofilm Regulatory Decision Making'. The first project meeting took place in Porto, Portgual in Feb 2025. This brought together the Toolbox's Work Groups, Main Committee, and the Core Group. These groups bring together top experts from across Europe to revolutionise biofilm research and shape the future of regulatory decision-making. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA23152/ |
| Description | Focus group with Cystic Fibrosis clinicians |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Online focus groups were held with clinical care teams for people with Cystic Fibrosis to understand their experience of manmaging and diagnosing infections in people with CF. Views were recorded and anonymised. Insights gained on unmet need for microbial diagnostics and what would be acceptable in their for their patients either at home use or in the clinic were discussed. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Focus group with people with Cystic Fibrosis (Shaun Robertson) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Online focus groups were held with people with Cystic Fibrosis to understand their lived experience with CF and pain points around their care in terms of diagnosis of infections. Views were recorded and anonymised. Insights gained on unmet need for microbial diagnostics and what would be acceptable for them either at home use or in the clinic were discussed. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Fresh Check Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC IRF, Dr Callum Highmore, gave a presentation and then led a discussion on the biology and challenges of biofilms to decision makers in the food industry to improve understanding of the issue and support informed changes to improving food safety within the industry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Future of Microbiome Innovation Network |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Developing the future blueprint for the Microbiome network. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Goodhousekeeping article: From sharing towels to putting your suitcase on your bed - daily habits that are making your home unhealthy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Hardie was interviewed for this article in the magazine, focused on keeping a clean home. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/lifestyle/a65413985/bad-daily-home-habits/ |
| Description | Gotham Cub Scouts visit (Samantha McLean) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Microbiology outreach activities with Cub Scout groups to encourage participants to engage with microbiology and STEM. Activities included - environmental swabbing, glo-germ hand washing and quizzes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | High School Visit (Oakwood High School) (Dr Samantha McLean) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | • Key objectives were to develop Y9 student understanding in infection prevention and control and learn technical skills in aseptic technique and antibiotic susceptibility testing that also supports curriculum learning • Key learning points included infection prevention strategies from good hygiene to vaccination, consideration of antibiotic choice, antibiotic stewardship, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing including interpretation of results • Key interactions included working with three Y9 classes (~90 children and teachers) to explore practical aspects of antimicrobial susceptibility testing, involving Q&A's, seminar style teaching and practical work • What piece of information will you disseminate? I have provided vaccination demonstration cards to the school, poster on aseptic technique, interpretation of disk diffusion assays and mock disk diffusion agar plates to support teacher-led sessions throughout the school year • What would you change? Future iterations of the programme will further support curriculum learning on vaccination to ensure content delivered in this activity signposts to curriculum content • What feedback did you receive? Teaching staff were very positive, highlighting that they felt students improved their depth of understanding beyond curriculum content as a result of this activity. They also observed that the students were very engaged throughout and talked about the activities between sessions due to their enthusiasm for the activity. This mirrored feedback from the students themselves who actively engaged in sessions, asking questions and reported that they really enjoyed the sessions. Due to the success of the activity, I have been asked by the school to repeat these sessions next academic year. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024,2025 |
| Description | Highlights from ECFP/NBIC Wastewater Treatment Event 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | News article on the NBIC website describing the Wastewater treatment event held in collaboration with the Edinburgh Complex Fluids Partnership in December 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk/ecfp-nbic-wastewater-treatment-event-2022/ |
| Description | ICURe Commercialisation Support - BioTryp Therapeutics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The NBIC ICURe support allowed BioTryp Therapeutics to engage with further commercialisation support, including; - We partnered with Spin Up Science to provide commercial advisory and support, including investment readiness and fundraising strategy, investor introductions through investment arm, Science Angel Syndicate, and commercial strategy, opportunity pipeline building and spinout support. - We took part in EnterpriseTECH Cohort 11 at the Cambridge Judge Business School, where further market research was conducted. - We completed the Innovate UK Microbials (Microbiome, Biofilms & Phage) Accelerator Programme (26th June - 24th July, 2023), which was co-led by LYVA Labs and Bionow. The accelerator provided a package of support as well as a platform to network with similar investors & stakeholders in the Biofilms area. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | ICURe Explore 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Applications opened for the Biofilms ICURe Explore, September 2024 programme. Up to £35,000 in funding was available to help research teams get out of the lab and explore the commercial potential of their research/technology. Ideas sought to address biofilm challenges in sectors including, but not limited to: Food and Agriculture, Health, Hygiene, Marine, Personal Carem and Waste and Water This opportunity is exclusively available to those studying at our NBIC research partner institutions. Two biofilm teams have entered this cohort. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | ICURe: Joe Parker business engagements |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC IRF, Dr Joe Parker, is currently taking part in the ICURe programme and has been conducting significant market analysis in the first 6 months of the year. His idea is based around developing systems-led digital and physical automation for biofilms 'omics. He has engaged with approximately 110 businesses as part of his market analysis and has now progressed to iCURE Exploit. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Improved Ship Efficiency Through Optimised Fouling Control |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The project, proposed by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL)*, National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC)** & PML Applications***, and supported by the Society of Maritime Industries (SMI), is called the Global Ship Efficiency Measurement Platform. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Indonesia biofilm research collaboration center (Jo Slater-Jefferies) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presenting the lessons learned of biofilm research collaboration from NBIC UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Industry engagement training event 2023 (Will Green) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC designed and delivered an industry engagement training event to East Midlands academics interested in engaging with NBIC or the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences doctoral training programme. This event was delivered on the 7th of July by NBIC Innovation and Partnership Manager William Green and targeted early career researchers and provided training and advice on areas of industrial unmet need, how to effectively engage with industry and how to design a successful collaborative project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Industry-Chemistry Engagement Meeting (InChem) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | In September 2025, the Industry-Chemistry Engagement Meeting (InChem) was held at the University of Liverpool. This meeting aims to bring together new and existing partners from industry with academic researchers from the University of Liverpool Department of Chemistry. The event featured numerous speakers including Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces director and National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) co-director Prof. Rasmita Raval. She showcased the research being done at the Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces and NBIC. Additionally, Professor Jo Slater-Jefferies PhD MBA CMgr MCMI, CEO of the National Biofilms Innovation Centre and Prof. Rasmita Raval organised a stand representing NBIC and showcasing opportunities for collaboration with industry. Participants at the meeting also had the opportunity to visit SSRC facilities at School of Physical Sciences, University of Liverpool to learn more about our research and experimental capabilities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Innovate UK Microbials (Microbiome, Biofilms & Phage) Accelerator Programme (Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC partners at the University of Liverpool are a core partner for a new Innovate UK-funded Microbials (Microbiome, Biofilms & Phage) Accelerator that is now accepting applications from SMEs for a programme of support to help scale their businesses and secure funding for the commercialisation of innovative microbial technologies. The University of Liverpool's Microbiome Innovation Centre and the Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces are part of a consortium providing core expertise for the Microbials Accelerator which is co-led by LYVA Labs and Bionow. Other partners include iiCON, CPI and the Innovation Agency. The programme consists of a package of business support and access to clinical, scientific, technical and commercial advice at no cost to the company. The scope for the Microbials Accelerator includes technologies, products, processes, and services that have the potential to impact microbial communities or biofilms related to health, including new technologies to protect beneficial microbiomes or to control harmful microbial communities or biofilms. The Microbials Accelerator partnership offers a programme of developmental courses and mentorship opportunities. The programme is designed to give businesses the knowledge and support they need to move products and services from the development stage to market readiness. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://bionow.co.uk/event/Bionow161/innovate-uk-microbials-microbiome-biofilms-phage-accelerator-pr... |
| Description | Innovation Panel Discussion & Reception at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Attendance at a panel discussion at the Labour Party Conference with a focus on how to scale up industry investment to drive cluster development and innovation-led growth across the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Interdisciplinary Biofilm Seminars |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | NBIC Edinburgh has launched a series of interdisciplinary biofilm seminars, aimed at being accessible for PhD students and broad enough that researchers from other disciplines interested in biofilms will be able to contribute to the discussion. The first half of the year saw talks from Prof. Gordon Ramage (Glasgow Caledonian University) on managing and manipulating complex biofilm infections; Prof. Ross Fitzgerald (University of Edinburgh) on staphylococcus aureus and its adaptation to the dairy niche; and Prof. Sarah Coulthurst (University of Dundee) on the interdisciplinary science of aggregated microbial communities |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Invited Talk at the 'Strategies to Reduce MIC in Industrial Sector Activities Symposium' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | NBIC's Biofilms Standards and Regulatory Programme Manager, Dr Paulina Rakowska, attended this online symposium under the EU Cost Action Euro-MIC. She gave an invited talk on 'Building Consensus on Biofilm Regulatory Decision Making '. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Invited Talk at the 'Strategies to Reduce MIC in Industrial Sector Activities Symposium' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | NBIC's Biofilms Standards and Regulatory Programme Manager, Dr Paulina Rakowska, attended this online symposium under the EU Cost Action Euro-MIC. She gave an invited talk on 'Building Consensus on Biofilm Regulatory Decision Making '. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | JoVE Video Collection on Biofilm Models |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | In partnership with PIPE-CF, NBIC is currently developing a peer reviewed JoVE video collection on Infection-Relevant Models for Fundamental Microbiology Research and Antimicrobial Drug Development. The collection aims to highlight recent advances in the development and validation of infection-relevant models. It will encompass a wide variety of models, ranging from high-throughput, chemically-defined bacterial culture media that reflect host environments to models of host-pathogen interactions and advanced systems for studying drug pharmacokinetics under infection-relevant conditions. The NBIC community has been encouraged to submit abstracts for the collection, which can be used to answer fundamental questions on mechanisms of biofilm-mediated infection and for efficacy testing of antimicrobial interventions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Joint workshop: NBIC & the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens |
| 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 | BBSRC-funded workshop looking to catalyse joint research and innovation activities in biofilm studies (AMR and biobanking) between WACCBIP and NBIC. Faculty from WACCBIP and the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research (NMIMR) attended and there was also a representative from the Medicine and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://waccbip.org/news-events/news/breaking-barriers-in-antimicrobial-discovery-uk-and-ghana-forge... |
| Description | Joyful Microbe podcast (Sandra Wilks) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed for the Joyful Microbe podcast under a session called "What really makes something dirty". This is a public engagement podcast available internationally and targeted to the general public to help understanding of microbiology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Keynote Lecture at MIC-Stand Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Paulina Rakowska delivered a keynote lecture titled: 'Building consensus: Advancing standards and innovation in microbiologically influenced corrosion and biofilms', at the MIC-STAND conference, in Lisbon, Portugal. The participants reported raised awareness of the need for biofilm standardisation and the lack of and shared ideas on future activities, which could be undertaken to progress the field. It resulted in the invitation of Paulina to contribute to a book chapter (in preparation) on mitigation of biologically influenced corrosion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://mic-stand.pt/ |
| Description | Kick-off event for Cost Action CA23152 - Building Consensus on Biofilm Regulatory Decision Making (RegulatoryToolBox) |
| 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 | NBIC is co-leading the EU COST Action CA23152: RegulatoryToolBox 'Building Consensus on Biofilm Regulatory Decision Making', which officially launched on 26 October 2024 with a meeting in Brussels, attended by representatives from 21 European countries. This initiative will create a collaborative network of biofilm experts from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies, all working together to develop standardised methods, models, and equipment for biofilm research. The goal is to integrate the latest scientific advancements into regulatory frameworks. By bridging the gap between academic research and regulatory practice, the network will address global challenges such as antimicrobial resistance and environmental biofilm management. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Knowledge Quarter Liverpool 2040 vision (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Attendance at Exclusive Preview of 2040 Vision and Panel Discussion exploring the exciting future of the Knowledge Quarter and see how our vision for 2040 will shape innovation, collaboration, and growth in Liverpool. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://kqliverpool.co.uk/ |
| Description | LCR Innovation Board (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Meeting of the LCR Innovation Board, participating as member of the Liverpool City Region Innovation Board. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Life Sciences Innovation Evenings with Johnson & Johnson |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Kim Hardie from NBIC attended this event, which featured a brief introduction highlighting Johnson & Johnson's key areas of scientific interest and collaboration models across the pharmaceuticals and medical technology sectors. After the introduction, attendees were able to connect with other innovators and staff from J&J during a networking session. The event was aimed at new companies early-stage innovators developing pharmaceutical assets, novel therapy or medical technology products in the areas of interest for J&J e.g., pharmaceuticals and MedTech. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Liverpool City Region (LCR) Investment Zone Launch |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Rasmita Raval was invited as Panel Member of LCR Innovation Board The new 10-year Investment Zone will take the city region's health and life sciences to the next level. With the potential to drive more than £800m of Government and private investment and create 8,000 jobs, the Investment Zone promises to deliver world-leading research and development, new state-of-the-art facilities and business and innovation support, while training a new generation of talent. By bringing together key partners, along with influential private and public sector stakeholders, and VIP speakers, the event will mark a key milestone in realising the Investment Zone as well as the start of the LCR's inaugural Innovation Investment Week. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Liverpool City Region (LCR) Investment Zone Launch (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited as Panel Member of LCR Innovation Board The new 10-year Investment Zone will take the city region's health and life sciences to the next level. With the potential to drive more than £800m of Government and private investment and create 8,000 jobs, the Investment Zone promises to deliver world-leading research and development, new state-of-the-art facilities and business and innovation support, while training a new generation of talent. By bringing together key partners, along with influential private and public sector stakeholders, and VIP speakers, the event will mark a key milestone in realising the Investment Zone as well as the start of the LCR's inaugural Innovation Investment Week. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/life-sciences-investment-zone |
| Description | Liverpool Shared Research Facilities (SRF) Showcase - Invitation to Chair (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invitation to Chair at the University of Liverpool Shared Research Facilities (SRF) (combining SRF's from both Health and Life Sciences and Science and Engineering Facilities) showcase event 2024. Liverpool's NBIC Interdisciplinary Research Fellow, Dr Jiaqi Luo, presented a SRF Case Study at this event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/sem-srf/events/ |
| Description | MIC Summer School Budapest |
| 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 | NBIC sponsered the MIC Summer School held in Budapest. The course aims to give a general overview of how MIC can develop, what kinds of evidence are needed to conclude the corrosion is influenced by microorganism, and to provide practical help on how to integrate data (e.g. microbial, metallurgical, chemical, etc.) from multiple origins during MIC investigations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Magnificent Microbes 2024 (Prof Nicola Stanley-Wall) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Magnificent Microbes is a long-running public engagement event led by the Division of Molecular Microbiology at the School of Life Sciences. It returned for 2024 with a new, split venue format. This allowed us to take advantage of both our existing links at Dundee Science Centre, and the Verdant Works exhibition 'Tackling TB: Dundee scientists fighting the killer cough' produced with the Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research. DSC featured 'meet the scientist' style conversations around the venue, while Verdant Works had a mix of messy hands-on activities and science art creativity options in the high mill. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.dundee.ac.uk/stories/magnificent-microbes-2024 |
| Description | Materials Research Exchange 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC attended the Materials Research Exchange 2024 and engaged with the businesses in attendance. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Materials Research Exchange 2024 (Prof. Jo Slater-Jefferies) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The Henry Royce Institute is the headline sponsor for the Materials Research Exchange 2024. This unique event is your gateway to the world of materials innovation, featuring an exhibition, investor showcase, and cross-cutting seminars on technology transfer from the UK's world-class research base. This led to further business engagement. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.royce.ac.uk/events/materials-research-exchange-2024/ |
| Description | MediLink Midlands/NBIC Showcase: Supporting Collaboration for Impact in Biofilm Research (Miguel Camara, Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The University of Nottingham held a showcase event with Medilink Midlands in May 2023. The purpose of the event was to give delegates an insight into the extensive opportunities offered by the National Biofilm Innovation Centre and Medilink Midlands to support collaboration between academia and industry in the area of biofilm research and innovation. Presentations and tours provided an opportunity to see the state-of-the-art facilities available to characterise biofilms at the University of Nottingham or through NBIC partners. A selection of projects that exemplify successful collaborations between academia and industry were presented by experts in the field, and there was an opportunity for delegates to pitch ideas for new collaborations. After the event, innovation vouchers were available to support new projects between industry and academia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.medilinkmidlands.com/event/nbic-showcase/ |
| Description | Medilink Midlands Innovation Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC exhibited at the Medilink Midlands Innovation Day, which brings together the medtech and life sciences community to share the latest developments from across the sector. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.medilinkmidlands.com/medilink-midlands-innovation-day/ |
| Description | Medilinks Midlands: Innovations Against AMR 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC attended this event, this year focused on novel developments within the field of combating AMR throughout the UK, with a special focus on small and medium enterprises. The event has grown year on year, bringing together innovators, researchers and other stakeholders working in this sector and has proven a great opportunity for networking and building collaborations. NBIC had conversations with several businesses about potential collaborative projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.medilinkmidlands.com/event/in-person-event-design-for-health-med-tech-innovation-2/ |
| Description | Membership in COST Action RegulatoryToolBox |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Membership in the European COST Action Biofilm RegulatoryToolBox, focus on bringing together academic and industry communities to create an international dialogue aimed at bringing biofilm research to the attention of innovators and regulatorions. Vice-chair of the Action, management committee member representing the UK and active participation in WG1 - Paving the way for the future of statistically validated standardized biofilms technologies, WG2 - Translating data for an informed decision-making, and WG3 - Communication and dissemination. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA23152/#tabs+Name:Description |
| Description | Metabomeeting 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | NBIC BITE PhD Student Daniel Smaje from the Surface Science Centre presented work on Metabolomic Profiling at the Metabomeeting Liverpool 2024. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/systems-molecular-and-integrative-biology/metabomeeting-2024/ |
| Description | Microbiology Society microbiome discussion group (Prof Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | An invitation only event driven by industry to discuss the safely and regulatory implications of the microbiome as researchers study it further and industry translate products to reduce or exploit it. Next strategic steps were collated, and there will be a report. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://microbiologysociety.org/events/microbiology-society-microbiome-safety-workshop.html |
| Description | Microbiology Week: Point-of-Care Testing for Microbial Infectious Diseases: The Urgent Need for New Novel Tests |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Organised by LabRoots, the 10th Annual Microbiology Week Virtual Event Series brought together academia, industry leaders, research experts, virologists, microbiologists, and healthcare professionals for unparalleled knowledge exchange and insights. Dr Shaun Robertson, former NBIC Interdisciplinary Research Fellow and now CEO of MiDx, recorded an on-demand invited presentation focused on Point-of-Care testing for microbial infectious diseases and the urgent need for new novel tests. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.labroots.com/virtual-event/microbiology-virtual-week-2024 |
| Description | Microbiome Innovation Advisory Board (Innovate UK KTN) (Jo Slater-Jefferies) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Joined the Microbiome Innovation Advisory Board. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Microbiome One Health Meeting (Jeremy Webb, Jo Slater-Jefferies) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Discussions and planning (UK microbiome strategy and roadmap) and presented the opportunities provided by the National Biofilms Innovation Centre. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Microbiome Roundtable hosted by LYVA Labs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Rasmita Raval represented NBIC at the Microbiome Roundtable hosted by LYVA Labs. These microbiome-focused discussions brought together stakeholders together to share developments and emerging opportunities for the microbiome innovation ecosystem in the Liverpool region. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Microbiome Workshop The Spine, Liverpool (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Microbiome research, translation and commercialisation activity across One Health areas is currently taking place in Liverpool City Region with MIC at UoL, NBIC, IBM/STFC, CPI and Lyva Labs. This session explored ideas, potential future resource requirements the region could consider adding or any opportunities to scale activities further. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Microbiome focussed workshop in Westminster |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof Lesley Hoyles from Nottingham Trent University took part in a microbiome-focused workshop at Westminster. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Mitigation of Microbiologically Influenced Corrossion: Towards Scientific & Industrial Standardisation |
| 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 | This meeting brought together academic researchers, industry stakeholders, policymakers, and regulators, with discussions covering the entire spectrum of MIC Mitigation, Diagnosis, and Monitoring. NBIC's Regulatory Manager gave a keynote talk titled "Building Consensus: Advancing Standards and Innovation in Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion and Biofilms". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://mic-stand.pt/ |
| Description | Molecular Microbial Ecology Group 2024 Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | NBIC exhibited at Applied Microbiology International's Molecular Microbial Ecology Group (MMEG) 2024 meeting. This took place over two days in December 2024 at the National Oceanography Centre located within the port of Southampton. NBIC's CEO partipated in the Panel Session: Building a Personalised Career in Science and the NBIC team spoke to conference attendees about NBIC and the opportunities available through our network. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC BITE course: Introduction to Commercialisation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The NBIC Doctoral Training Centre in Biofilms Innovation, Technology, and Engineering (BITE), in parternship with the Entrepreneur Business School Ltd, ran their annual 'Introduction to Commercialisation' course in February 2024. This is a 4-half day cohort workshop to introduce doctoral candidates to innovation, entrepreneurship, the basics of business acumen, how to build collaboration and networks and, overall, to encourage delegates to see things from different perspectives. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC BITE technical module: Microbiology, from cell biology to biofilms |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The NBIC Doctoral Training Centre in Biofilms Innovation, Technology, and Engineering (BITE) held their NBIC BITE-CTP Technical Module, titled 'Microbiology, from cell biology to biofilms' in September 2024. The module training was hosted at the University of Nottingham and organised and delivered by both NBIC and the University of Nottingham. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC BITE technical module: Surface and Materials meet Biofilms |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The NBIC Doctoral Training Centre in Biofilms Innovation, Technology, and Engineering (BITE) along with the Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces (OPIHAS), at the University of Liverpool, held its first NBIC BITE-CTP Technical Module, titled 'Surfaces and Materials meet Biofilms' from 1-4 July 2024. The module training was hosted at the Liverpool's Management School and organised and delivered by both NBIC and the University of Liverpool. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/surfaces-and-materials-meet-biofilms-technical-module/ |
| Description | NBIC Biofilm Create Photography and Art Competition 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | We launched the competition in May 2023 as part of our #BiofilmAware campaign, which works to raise awareness of NBIC and its research, and the many societal and economic impacts of biofilms. The competition had two categories: photography and art, and was a great opportunity for members of the public, budding artists and photographers to explore biofilms in their everyday environments and is also a chance for scientists to look at creative ways of showcasing their cutting-edge research. Amazon gift cards were awarded to first (£500), second (£250) and third place (£125) in both categories. We received 64 entries for NBIC Biofilm Create Photography and Art Competition. 20 in the art category and 44 in the photography category. All of the entries were added to the biofilm image and art galleries on our website. During the start of the competition in May 2023 to the deadline in October 2023, the competition web page received 1,250 views. Since ending, the winners announcement received 1,500 views. Combined, the Biofilm Image Gallery and Biofilm Art Gallery have been viewed a total of 5,900 times. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-create-competition-2023/ |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (April to June 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC regularly meet with and contact businesses across all sectors relevant to biofilms. Sometimes this is introducing NBIC to them and establishing initial links before establishing unmet needs in relation to biofilms. This can lead to us facilitating contacts with other businesses and our network of academics across our partner research institutions. We set up two way discussions with parties which can lead to projects or consultancy. In this quarter we engaged with the following companies (58 in total): Fujifilm DioSynth Technologies, Jacobs, MiAlgae, Pipeline Cleaning Solutions, Strathkelvin Instruments, Veolia, 5D Health, Freedom Hygiene, SoeMac, Brukker, Chemical Intelligence, HLS Accelerator, Mast Group, Quantum Science, Silveray, Unilever, Alberta Innovates (Canada), Ardhi digital, ARC training Centre, ARUP, Black-kite Ltd, Chilworth Science Park, CSIRO (Australia), Canada Foundation for Innovation, Future South, Geospatial Commission, Innovation Canada, Mtech Access, Novabiotics, NPL, NSG Pilkington, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Scion Forests, UKHSA, University of Alberta, Aramco (Saudi Arabia), BP, Convatec, ECHA Microbiology, IMSL, Intertek, Microbial Insights (USA), Nuclera, Rawwater Engineering, Reckitt, You Seq Ltd, Boston Scott Corporation, CytaCoat, Dyson, JVS Products, Nanovibronix, Provectus, Revolution Zero, IWS UK, Medisanitise, Perfectly Fresh, RAFT solutions, UK Phage innovation showcase. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (April to June 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC engaged with the following companies: 5D Health Protection Group, Eurofins, Gama Heathcare, Industrial Microbiological Services Limited, National Measurement Laboratory, LGC Group, National Physical Laboratory, SPARTHA Medical, STERIS, Symcel, Jacobs, Scottish Water, Veolia, Agrifood Solutions International, Alberta Innovates, Barclays Eagle Labs, Blake Morgan, BP, British Business Bank, Carswell Gould, Centre for Canadian Innovation and Competitiveness, Eagle Genomics, Folium Science, Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre, Geologic Systems, Geologic Systems, Hexagon, Myera Group, Openshaw & Co, Plant and Food Research, Plymouth Marine Applications Ltd, Solent Partners, SWJ Events, SYNERGIE Global, TATA Steel, UK Medicines Discovery Catapult, Unilever, BBI Solutions, Citrux Bio, Freedom Hygiene, Midland's Innovation, Mintech Bio, Bruton Knowles, Carisbrooke, Environmental Farmers Group (EFG), Fowler Forstesque, Grange Wines, IBM, Ordnance Survey, Robin Appel, Savills, Southern Water, Stonedaisy Brewery, UKHSA, Velcourt, Watr, Wessex Rivers Trust, Wessex water, AgritechE, Bionema, BioTryp, Criomerix, JVS Products, MetZero, Midex, Nanovibronix, Nestle, NSG Pilkington, Smith and Nephew, Rentokil, and Heseltine Institute. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (April to June 2025) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC engaged with the following organisations: Carisbrooke Shipping, Carnival Group UK, Engineering and Data Ltd, Foreship, Maritime UK Solvent, MDL Marinas, One Ocean / Lloyds Register, SeaBot Maritime, Wightlink, Pacifo Biolabs, Notpla, Tattva, Holiferm, Modern Synthesis, Veolia, Scottish Water, Nivalis, APC Microbiome Ireland, BP, CABI, The Collective (facilitators for Microbiome workshop), GutSee Health, HGF, LGC, LYVA Labs , National Physical Laboratory, NML, RAFT Solutions Ltd, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Rothamsted Research, Solv Advisory, Syngetna, UK Agri-Tech Centre, Unilever, Arrow Regulatory, Hydro Finesse, Lanxess, Klarus Consulting, and MHRA. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (December 2022) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC regularly meet with and contact businesses across all sectors relevant to biofilms. Sometimes this is introducing NBIC to them and establishing initial links before establishing unmet needs in relation to biofilms. This can lead to us facilitating contacts with other businesses and our network of academics across our partner research institutions. We set up two way discussions with parties which can lead to projects or consultancy. In December 2022, we had productive interactions with the following companies: Jacobs, NCIMB, Virustatic, and Oxford Technology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (Jan to March 2025) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC engaged with the following organisations: Arda Biomaterials, Aqualutions, Better2earth, Chito Care, Nivalis Tech, Scottish Water, Veolia, Tristel, Sekisui Chemical Visit, Landor UK, Wolfson Foundation, Aparon, APS, Biocontrol, Astratus, BioMonde, BioTryp, Cantab, Chilled Food Association, Dyneval, JVS Products, Kersia Group, Lifearc, Met Zero, NATO Innovation Fund,NexaBiome, Residual Barrier Technologies, Titech, Veirulence, Well O, Yet2 Zonova, Centre for process innovation (Catapult), National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre, Citrox Biosciences Ltd, Coca-Cola, Hydrofinesse, Johnson & Johnson, NuTissu, and RBT (Residual Barrier Technology). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (January - March 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC regularly meet with and contact businesses across all sectors relevant to biofilms. Sometimes this is introducing NBIC to them and establishing initial links before establishing unmet needs in relation to biofilms. This can lead to us facilitating contacts with other businesses and our network of academics across our partner research institutions. We set up two way discussions with parties which can lead to projects or consultancy. Between January and March 2023, we had productive interactions with the following companies: LGC, ARUP, Blue Planet Ecosystems, FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Intelligent Growth Solutions, Jacobs, Novosound, Pipeline Cleaning Solutions, Scottish Water, Strameno, Veolia, Warren Elsmore Ltd, Agrigum, Destiny Pharma, DHV Royal Haskoning, Enfold Health, FoodClean, JVS, Nanovibronix, Rawwater, Realsphere, and Tristel. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (July to Sept 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC engaged with the following organisations: Advanced Medical Solutions Ltd, Tristel Solutions Ltd, Bakkafrost, Better 2 Earth, Lubrizol, IMSL, AkzoNobel, BAE, British Coatings Federation, Nivalis, Public Health Wales, Royal Navy, Tec Safe, US Navy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (July to September 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC regularly meet with and contact businesses across all sectors relevant to biofilms. Sometimes this is introducing NBIC to them and establishing initial links before establishing unmet needs in relation to biofilms. This can lead to us facilitating contacts with other businesses and our network of academics across our partner research institutions. We set up two way discussions with parties which can lead to projects or consultancy. In this quarter we engaged with the following companies (38 in total): BP, Convatec, Destiny Pharma, Federation of European Microbiogical Societies, Gencoa Ltd, Magnitude Biosciences, NPL, NML, LGC, Penrhos Bio, Perfectus Biomed, Phytoceutical Ltd, Reckitt, Severn Trent Water, Spirocatix, UKHSA, Unilever, Atkins (water), Jellagen, Project Seagrass, Scottish Water, Veolia, Ardhi, ARUP, Bioenterprise Canada, Hartree Centre, Mtech Access, National Physical Laboratories, Oxford Nanopore technologies, Pollenize, Caravel bio, Magnitude biosciences, Southern Water, Chilled Food Association, Diamond Light Source, ERD Remediation, Haleon, Qbiotics, Shimyatech Ltd. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (Oct to Dec 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC regularly meet with and contact businesses across all sectors relevant to biofilms. Sometimes this is introducing NBIC to them and establishing initial links before establishing unmet needs in relation to biofilms. This can lead to us facilitating contacts with other businesses and our network of academics across our partner research institutions. We set up two way discussions with parties which can lead to projects or consultancy. In this quarter we engaged with the following companies (36 in total): Arla, Citrox Biosciences, Freedom Hygiene, CABI, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Chilled Food Association, CPI (Catapult), Flinders University (Australia), MHRA, National Physical Laboratories (NPL), Phage Innovation Network Advisory Board, Plymouth Marine Laboratories, Raft Solutions Ltd, Scion Ltd New Zealand, UKHSA, University of Alberta (Canada), University of Ghana, Bactiscan, DNV, MDC Buhmann, Ndorms, Penhros Bio, SCELSE, Agriklenz, Chilled Food Association, International Water Solutions IWS, JVS Products, Mott Mcdonald, Perfectly Fresh, Southern Water, Fonterra, Fujifilm Diosynth Technologies, Jacobs, Project Seagrass. Veolia, Notpla. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC Business engagements (Oct to Dec 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC engaged with the following organisations: Cohesion Studios, QAEC Limited - Quality & Regulatory Consulting Services, SOE Health, Taskeru, Nivalis, PFE Medical, Barker Bretnell LLP, Innovate UK Business Connect, LR Animation Studios, NHS, Cytecom, Oxford SimCell, Phytoceutical, Ramanomics, Bakkafrost, Better2earth, Nivalis, Swedish Algae Factory, Heseltine Institute, NSG, Symcel, Arxada Ltd, Dr. Brill + Partner GmbH, Access-2-Healthcare, ADM Health and Wellness, Blake Morgan, Barclays Eagle Labs, Boots, Capital Land Ascott Trust, Carswell Gould, CPI, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Harrison Goddard Foote, International Flavors & Fragrances, Lyba Labs, NCIMB, Openshaw & , Seventure Partners, Solent Partners, South Hampshire College Group, SWJ Events, Unilever, Bionema, BioTryp, JVS Products, PFE Medical, Pipeline Cleaning Solutions, RBT (Residual Barrier Technology), REWIRE IKC, RhosynBio Rocket Medical, Serosep, Smith and Nephew, Tec-Safe Ltd, Astratus, CPI, DNV, Haleon, Plantworks Systems, AGA Nanotech, Dr Wolff Group, Mintech Bio, and Samworth Brothers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC CTP.BITE Introduction to Public Engagement & Outreach |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | JC Denis held this workshop with PhD students during the NBIC Showcase & Summit Event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC CTP.BITE Technical Module 2 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers attended a 1-week course in Southampton. Attendees learned how to sample biofilms, extract DNA, sequence and analyse DNA. This involved many hands-on wet lab and computational workshops. Students were asked to present on different 'omics techniques in a journal club and best presentations were awarded a prize. The use of 'omics technologies in different industries was explored through industry guest lecturers and a panel discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC CTP.BITE Thinking about Biofilms like a Physicist |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | As part of their PhD training, postgraduate students will learn about biofilms from a physics perspective. They will learn how to computationally model biofilms. Students will be asked to present on their data sets and prizes will be awarded for the best presentation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC Climate Policy Brief Consultation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC is running a Climate Policy Brief Consultation to gather input from the biofilms community and shape our future policy approaches in this area. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilms-in-policy-climate-change/ |
| Description | NBIC Edinburgh at the Edinburgh Innovations showcase 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The NBIC Edinburgh Team attended and exhibited at the "Fast Forward: Climate & Environment" conference and showcase, organised by Edinburgh Innovations. The day was themed around the University of Edinburgh's Research and Innovation mission challenges of sustainable cities, clean energy systems, circular economy, future food systems, One Health, and data for sustainability. It was attended by researchers from across the University as well as new and existing partners from industry, government and the third sector in attendance. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC Showcase 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) has been awarded further 5 years of funding from BBRSC and Innovate UK. To commemorate this achievement and to reveal NBIC's plans for Phase 2, NBIC and BBRSC hosted a showcase event on the 12th of September. The event brought together 125 attendees, including representatives from Industry and Research partners institutions, Early Career Researches, NBIC PhD students and Fellow Researchers, advisory boards, and supporters for NBIC Phase 2 proposal. A wide variety of multidisciplinary projects arising from NBIC phase 1 were presented. Eighteen (18) speakers from Research and Industry partners covered relevant topics in the areas of Health care, Health devices and pharmaceuticals, as well as water treatment, biofilm standards and public engagement. Short talks and several breaks were a highlight of this event, which led to great opportunities for networking and engaging in a variety of interacting learning activities, featuring the NBIC's giant biofilms Lego, 3D Biofilms experience, art gallery and embroidery. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC Summit 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | NBIC hosted the annual Summit event in 2024. Twenty-eight (28) speakers presented their Research outcomes on biofilm interventional themes Prevention, Disruption, Manage and Engineer (PDME). This event brought together 58 delegates including the four core partner universities, PhD students and Research fellows. One of the main features of this fast-paced event was the incorporation of breakout sessions. The sessions encouraged valuable discussion among NBIC PhD students and Research Fellows that brought up new ideas in regards Public engagement as well as encouraging bounds within the NBIC community. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC Summit 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | NBIC's annual summit brings together our core partners, students, post docs and staff to showcase research across our four interventional biofilm themes: Prevent, Detect, Manage and Engineer (PDME). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC Summit 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | NBIC's annual summit brought together researchers, doctoral students, and NBIC's operational team from the four core NBIC research institutions to discuss ongoing scientific work, progress to date, and future plans. A dedicated reflective session offered attendees an opportunity to share feedback on their experiences within NBIC, the BITE doctoral training programme, and EDI practices, with the aim of informing and improving future programme delivery and operations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC Wastewater Policy Brief Consultation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC is running a Wastewater Policy Brief Consultation to gather input from our biofilms network and shape our future policy approaches in this area. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilms-in-policy-wastewater/ |
| Description | NBIC Workshop Microbial Influenced Corrosion |
| 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 | Workshop to understand industry unmet need in the Energy sector, specifically focused on Microbial Influenced Corrosion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC and REACT whitepaper explores the future of commercial cleaning technology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | News article on NBIC's website higlighting NBIC and REACT's whitepaper on the future of commercial cleaning technology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk/the-future-of-commercial-cleaning/ |
| Description | NBIC at Edinburgh Science Festival 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC Edinburgh ran a drop in event at the Edinburgh Science Festival 2025. Attendees were able to build their own microbes to add to NBIC's LEGO biofilm model, and use VR headsets to visualise biofilms. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://web.archive.org/web/20250415142250/https://www.edinburghscience.co.uk/event/meet-the-scienti... |
| Description | NBIC at Innovations Against AMR 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The 4th annual Innovations Against AMR summit, co-organised by Medilink Midlands and Cytecom, convened experts and stakeholders from across the antimicrobial resistance landscape to share insights, showcase innovations, and foster collaboration. Covering the spectrum from cutting-edge academic research to real-world implementation, policy, and surveillance, this year's programme offers essential discussions for anyone working in AMR or related fields. This year, we will also explore the far-reaching impact of AMR beyond the specialist sphere-shaping policy, influencing cancer care pathways, and protecting other vulnerable patient groups. Prof. Kim Hardie from NBIC presented at the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/innovations-against-amr-summit-2025/ |
| Description | NBIC at the British Science Festival 2025 - Welcome to microbe city! |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | NBIC was thrilled to take part in the British Science Festival at the Bluecoat in September 2025, run by the British Science Association, University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University. Taking place each year, the festival features free exhibits, talks, workshops, and performances that connect the public with scientists and highlight the impact of science on everyday life. Visitors to the NBIC exhibit took part in a number of engaging experiences, including our 'Build a Lego Biofilm' activity, which demonstrates the complexities of biofilms. By offering interactive opportunities like this, we aim to spark curiosity and foster a deeper understanding of the microscopic world. Events like the British Science Festival are crucial for promoting STEM education, fostering hands-on exploration of science, and engaging the public with biofilm research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://britishsciencefestival.org/event/welcome-to-microbe-city/ |
| Description | NBIC at the Microbiology Society annual conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The Biofilm Alliance presented at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2025. Here, they shared more info will be given about 'Biofilm Alliance: A Network for Regulatory Sciences, Academic Research, and Industry Collaboration' and how biofilm interested folks can get involved with working towards regulatory guidance. NBIC IRF, Dr Jontana Allkja, also attended and presented a poster as well as co-chairing the Microbiome session. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC at the Orkney Science festival 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The NBIC University of Edinburgh team, along with Prof. Nicola Stanley-Wall from the University of Dundee, attended the 2025 edition of the Orkney Science Festival. This was the second year that NBIC has attended the event. As well as taking NBIC's Lego biofilm activity to the family fun day, this year the team also made visits to local schools on the islands to carry out biofilm-themed activities with pupils. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC case study: Tackling Bacterial Vaginosis with Precision Biofilm Disruption |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Case study published on the NBIC website showcasing a successful Proof of Concept project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/tackling-bacterial-vaginosis-with-precision-biofilm-disruption/ |
| Description | NBIC case study: AI-Driven Biofilm Detection for Sustainable Fermentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A case study published on the NBIC website showcasing a successful FTMA project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/ai-driven-biofilm-detection-for-sustainable-fermentation/ |
| Description | NBIC case study: Advancing the Circular Economy in the Water Sector |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Case study published on the NBIC website showcasing a biofilms research partnership. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/advancing-the-circular-economy-in-the-water-sector/ |
| Description | NBIC case study: Engineering Biology for Climate Resilience |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A case study published on the NBIC website showcasing a successful Proof of Concept project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/engineering-biology-for-climate-resilience/ |
| Description | NBIC communication channels engagement (Dec 2022 to March 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | LinkedIn: 284 new followers, 786 NBIC LinkedIn page views, 2,246 engagements, 250 referrals to the NBIC website (https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-biofilms-innovation-centre) Twitter: 135 new followers, 552 engagements, 181 referrals to the NBIC website, 61,090 visits to the NBIC Twitter page (https://twitter.com/ukbiofilms) Instagram: 15 New Followers, 145 Profile Visits, 393 Post Engagements (https://www.instagram.com/ukbiofilms/) NBIC website: 13,623 page views, 2,096 visitors, 1,958 new visitors, average of 4 pages viewed per visit, average visit is 2 minutes |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk |
| Description | NBIC engagement activities (Apr - Dec 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC engaged with the following organisations: Animal and Plant Health Agency, Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation (Australia), Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Microbiology Society, National Research Council Canada (NRC), National Oceanography Centre, University of Alberta, University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Windsor (Canada), British High Commission, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, MHRA, and CABI. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NBIC engagement activities (Apr - June 2025) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | NBIC engagement with stakeholders between April and June 2025: Department for Business and Trade, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, UKHSA / King's College London, Indonesian Biofilms Research Consortium team, BBSRC, UKRI, Scotland's Rural College, Innovate UK Business Connect, STFC - HARTREE CENTRE, Icure, and Southampton General Hospital. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC engagement activities (Jan - March 2025) |
| 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 | NBIC engagement with stakeholders between Jan and March 2025: BBSRC Industrial Biotechnology Showcase; engagement with the Rosalind Franklin Institute, MHRA, PHE, and the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Drinking Water Inspectorate (DEFRA); Material and Manufacturing Showcase 2025 round table; Southern Innovation Catalyst 2.0; and PRAIRIE Hub for Pandemic Preparedness (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | NBIC feature in The Economist |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | "Storming the fortress" and "Bacteria go to war" in the Sept 20th 2023 Economist magazine science and technology section featured the economic and social impact of biofilms. This is the first time that biofilms have have been recognized by a mainstream international print media outlet. The global economic impact of $ 3.9 trn estimated by NBIC's previous market research reports is cited (https://biofilms.ac.uk/international-biofilm-markets/). https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/09/27/sticking-together-makes-bacteria-nearly-invincible https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/09/27/colonies-of-bacteria-could-save-the-pentagon-billions |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC news articles & blogs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Stories posted on NBIC's website covering the latest news in biofilm research, including groundbreaking studies, innovative technologies, and significant achievements by NBIC researchers and partners. Phlegm-Like Material May Improve Modeling of Cystic Fibrosis Biofilms: https://biofilms.ac.uk/phlegm-like-material-may-improve-modeling-of-cystic-fibrosis-biofilms/ Biofilms ICURe Sprint Researchers Awarded Spin-Out Funding: https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilms-icure-sprint-researchers-awarded-spin-out-funding/ NBIC White Paper Published in CABI Agriculture and Bioscience: https://biofilms.ac.uk/nbic-white-paper-published-in-cabi-agriculture-and-bioscience/ NBIC Announce Partnership with Venturefest South: https://biofilms.ac.uk/nbic-announce-partnership-with-venturefest-south/ NBIC Deliver Technical Module: Surfaces and Materials meet Biofilms: https://biofilms.ac.uk/surfaces-and-materials-meet-biofilms-technical-module/ NBIC Research Paper: Identification of Priority Questions in Biofilm Research, Innovation and Policy: https://biofilms.ac.uk/priority-questions-in-biofilm-research-innovation-and-policy/ Innovative Businesses Secure Funding After Completing LYVA Labs' Microbials Accelerator Programme: https://biofilms.ac.uk/funding-following-lyva-labs-programme/ Report Calls for Initiative to Establish a World-leading UK Microbiome Biobank: https://biofilms.ac.uk/microbiome-biobank-report/ Precision Bioscience for a Better Tomorrow: https://biofilms.ac.uk/precision-bioscience-for-a-better-tomorrow/ NBIC Confirm Funding of a Further 15 Projects Tackling and Exploiting Biofilms: https://biofilms.ac.uk/nbic-funding-15-projects-exploiting-biofilms/ Innovate UK Funds Biofilm Alliance Initiative: https://biofilms.ac.uk/innovate-uk-funds-biofilm-alliance/ Biofilms 11, 13-15 May 2025: Register Now: https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilms-11/ Breaking AMR myths: https://biofilms.ac.uk/breaking-amr-myths/ Battling Biofilms in the Energy Sector: https://biofilms.ac.uk/battling-biofilms-in-the-energy-sector/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/nbic-news-events/ |
| Description | NBIC news articles (Mar to Nov 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | News articles posted on the NBIC website: NBIC Launch Biofilm Create! Art and Photography Competition https://biofilms.ac.uk/biofilm-create-art-photography-competition/ NBIC Generates Significant Economic Impact https://biofilms.ac.uk/economic-impact/ BBSRC Sparking Innovation Conference https://biofilms.ac.uk/bbsrc-sparking-innovation-conference/ Microbiome One - Health Conference https://biofilms.ac.uk/microbiome-one-health-conference/ Healthcare Innovation Sandbox - Building Knowledge Transfer Partnerships https://biofilms.ac.uk/healthcare-innovation-sandbox/ Southampton Collaboration with Local Shipping Company to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Marine Biofouling https://biofilms.ac.uk/environmental-impact-of-marine-biofouling/ Reservoir Microbiology Forum https://biofilms.ac.uk/reservoir-microbiology-forum-2023/ World AMR Awareness Week Conference: Innovations Against AMR https://biofilms.ac.uk/innovations-against-amr/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC showcased in Big Ben: An Icon of Democracy and Leadership - an official publication for the History of Parliament Trust |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | News article on NBIC's website. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.biofilms.ac.uk/big-ben-an-icon-of-democracy-and-leadership/ |
| Description | NBIC social channels (Apr to Sept 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC Twitter channel: 150 new followers, 596 engagements, 92 referrals to the NBIC website NBIC Instagram channel: 50 New Followers, 251 Profile Visits, 340 Post Engagements NBIC website: 13,155 page views, 3,501 visitors, average of 2 pages viewed per visit, average visit is 1:20 minutes NBIC LinkedIn channel: 230 new followers, 1,188 NBIC LinkedIn page views, 2,330 engagements, 131 referrals to the NBIC website |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NBIC social media channels Oct 2023 to March 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | NBIC website: 37,000 page views, 11,000 visitors, average of 1.5 pages viewed per visit, average visit is 2:44 minutes NBIC Twitter channel: 150 new followers, 1,189 engagements, 621 referrals to the NBIC website NBIC LinkedIn channel: 489 new followers, 1,949 NBIC LinkedIn page views, 1,732 engagements, 812 referrals to the NBIC website |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| Description | NPL and NMI Training: Fundamentals of Metrology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The National Measurement Laboratory (NML) and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) are running a free 'Fundamentals of Metrology', training course funded by the Biofilm Alliance. Metrology, the science of measurement, underpins our modern world. From everyday transactions to cutting-edge research, accurate measurements are essential. Billions of measurements are made globally each day, impacting trade, manufacturing, medicine, scientific discovery, consumer safety, and environmental protection. To ensure reliable results and informed decision-making, sound metrological principles must be rigorously applied. Metrology provides a framework to ensure the traceability, comparability and reliability of data. There are specific challenges related to methods for the analysis of biofilms, including biofilm heterogeneity, sensitivity to environmental conditions and the range of environments and surfaces where biofilms are encountered. A lack of standardisation limits the ability to compare results produced by different laboratories and also to monitor results over time. To be able to develop and apply suitable test methods requires an understanding of metrology. The training will be of interest to those engaged in biofilm analysis and control who wish to deepen their understanding of how to ensure the quality, reliability, and comparability of measurement data. It will be particularly relevant to researchers, laboratory professionals, and regulatory specialists involved in the development, validation, or standardisation of biofilm test methods, as well as to industry practitioners responsible for quality assurance and process monitoring. Early-career scientists and doctoral researchers seeking to strengthen their grounding in measurement science and its application to biological systems will also find the training valuable. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/fundamentals-of-metrology-training/ |
| Description | New case studies shared on NBIC's website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC is at the forefront of addressing biofilm challenges and harnessing their potential across various sectors. These case studies demonstrate the innovative solutions being developed by our network of academic and industrial partners to mitigate the adverse effects of biofilms while exploring their beneficial applications. These efforts extend globally, ensuring that advancements in biofilm research contribute to economic, environmental, and societal benefits. Innovations in Wastewater Treatment: https://biofilms.ac.uk/innovations-in-wastewater-treatment/ Improving Patients' Quality of Life: https://biofilms.ac.uk/improving-patients-quality-of-life/ Raman Against Respiratory Infection: https://biofilms.ac.uk/raman-against-respiratory-infection/ A Paradigm Shift in the Application of Bioinputs: https://biofilms.ac.uk/a-paradigm-shift-in-the-application-of-bioinputs/ Rapid Sustainable Diagnostics: https://biofilms.ac.uk/rapid-sustainable-diagnostics/ Ultrasonic Cleaning Systems: https://biofilms.ac.uk/ultrasonic-cleaning-systems/ Nature Vs AMR: https://biofilms.ac.uk/nature-vs-amr/ A Novel Therapy for Urinary Tract Infections: https://biofilms.ac.uk/a-novel-therapy-for-urinary-tract-infections/ Advanced Antimicrobial Surface Testing: https://biofilms.ac.uk/advanced-antimicrobial-surface-testing/ Revolutionising Healthcare: https://biofilms.ac.uk/revolutionising-healthcare/ Detection and Elimination of Biofilm Contamination: https://biofilms.ac.uk/detection-elimination-of-biofilm-contamination/ Learning From Nature to Prevent Bacterial Communication: https://biofilms.ac.uk/learning-from-nature-to-prevent-bacterial-communication/ Mapping Surfaces for Knowledge Driven Innovation: https://biofilms.ac.uk/mapping-surfaces-for-knowledge-driven-innovation/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/projects-case-studies/ |
| Description | News Story in IBBS newsletter - New COST Action - RegulatoryTooBox |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | News article published in the IBBS October '24 newsletter, reporting on the launching of European COST Action - RegulatoryToolBox |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://ibbsonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/42.-IBBS-News-October-2024.pdf |
| Description | Nottingham Microbiology Network: equipment platforms (Prof. Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The Nottingham Microbiology Network is organised by researchers from The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, and has a regional reach. Scientists with the common interest in microbiological research come together to present their findings and network in order to collaborate and share best practice. This session was focused on the technical platforms available at UoN and NTU. Kim Hardie presented the pathogen imaging facilities at the UoN alongside the pipeline of drug discovery resources. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Ogden Trust Summer School 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Gavin Melaugh represented NBIC at this year's Ogen Trust summer school, running a workshop covered sustainability physics including work on biofilms and wastewater treatment. Around 11 pupils attended in total. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | One Health 2024: We Mean Business |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | One Health 2024: We Mean Business. In July, experts from business, academics, and government attended this event at Bournemouth University to discuss real-world, practical and commercial applications on One Health. Professor Jo Slater-Jefferies attended to represent NBIC. Organised by the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership, the meeting aimed to explore how businesses can grow and innovate while also meeting consumer and regulatory demand for green, clean product development. This year our One Health was aimed at businesses, plus organisations and policy makers that work with business. It explored how businesses can grow and innovate while also meeting regulations and consumer demand for green, clean product development. The purpose of OH 2024 is to explore commercial solutions to global challenges. The one-day event looked at real-world practical applications of the One Health approach as part of Responsible Innovation and to help increase understanding and collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | One Health Conference 2023 (Jo Slater-Jefferies) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | One Health is an internationally established approach which recognises that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. It also recognises that interdisciplinary collaboration - between business, Government, academia, Third Sector, finance, and the broad spectrum of innovation agencies - is needed to find solutions to the 'wicked' One Health problems. These are the complex modern problems affecting human, animal and environmental health highlighted by changes to our planetary environment, populations, agriculture, and transport flows - such as antimicrobial resistant bacteria, emerging diseases and problems surrounding food production. Since 2019, Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has been exploring how to support and encourage enterprise to tackle some of these One Health wicked problems. One Health companies (those working in environmental science, agritech, aquaculture, bioscience, and public health innovation) in and around Dorset have been invited to showcase what they do - alongside academic and Government One Health initiatives - as part of a series of One Health conferences. The next step is to establish a more formal network to promote and support green/clean growth enterprises to accelerate their One Health projects to global markets, and attract inward investment - placing the UK at the forefront of One Health innovation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.dorsetlep.co.uk/one-health |
| Description | One Health Enterprise Network Steering Group (Prof. Jo Slater-Jefferies) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Board member on the One Health Enterprise Network Steering Group - Our mission is to support businesses, particularly SMEs and startups, in the development and implementation of One Health solutions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Organisation of East Midlands Microbiome Research Network Event (Miguel Camara, Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Workshop to create a network of researchers working on microbiome research in the Midlands including biofilms. The event was attended by academics, clinicians and representatives from industry. During this meeting an overview of the NBIC research and facilities at Nottingham University was presented to the audience. This has estimated further interactions including the organisation of seminar series and strategic meetings. This meeting was to launch the East Midlands Microbiome Research Network, and regional researchers presented an overview of research and applied projects underway. Innovate UK-BBSRC representative also provided an overview of their microbiome roadmap and priorities. Both the National Biofilm Innovation Centre and the UoN pathogen imaging facilities were presented by Miguel Cámara. Since then there has been an ongoing online seminar programme and Kim Hardie is on the steering committee. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Orkney Science festival 2024 family day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In September 2024, the Edinburgh team took NBIC's LEGO model biofilm activity to the Orkney Science Festival. There were approximately 450 visitors to the event and NBIC's table and LEGO model was very popular throughout the day. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | PATH-SAFE Biosurveillance Conference (Prof. Nicola Holden) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Pathogen Surveillance in Agriculture, Food and Environment (PATH-SAFE) Biosurveillance Conference on the work being undertaken within the PATH-SAFE programme, and other related biosurveillance programmes, strategies, and initiatives. A two day conference of presentations, question-and-answer sessions and posters, with a focus on the technical details of projects, complimenting the strategic "Innovation in Biosurveillance" event in November 2023, to explore biosurveillance barriers, gaps, and opportunities. Attendance of ~ 130 from the biosurveillance community, across government, academia, and industry. My contribution was as a PATH-SAFE advisory group member, made new industry connections, and direct input and contributions to discussion sessions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Panel Member, Civic and Innovation Stakeholder Group - University of Liverpool (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited Panel Member of the UoL Stakeholder Group contributing to the development of the Civic and Innovation Strategy pillar. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Panel Member, Liverpool City Region Innovation Comms & Lobbying Squad (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited Panel Member of the Liverpool City Region Innovation Comms & Lobbying Squad. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Panel member for the Skin Microbiome in Healthy Ageing Networking Event (Dr Holly Wilkinson) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Skin Microbiome in Healthy Ageing conference attracted 80 delegates from across the UK, with wonderful numbers of early career researchers registered and lots of industry participation. It sparked debate about the current climate of skin microbiome research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.smiha.org/news/smiha-conference-attracts-80-delegates-from-all-across-the-uk |
| Description | Panel member, Heseltine Institute for Public Policy and Practice - University of Liverpool (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Panel member, Heseltine Institute for Public Policy and Practice The Heseltine Institute brings together academic expertise from across the University with policy-makers and practitioners to support the development of sustainable and inclusive cities and city regions. The Heseltine Institute is distinctively positioned at the nexus of research, policy and practice. Anchored in the Liverpool City Region but with links to national and global stakeholders, the Institute is an integral part of the University of Liverpool's contribution to urban debate. Our aim is to support evidence-led urban policy, informed by high-quality research and underpinned by an acute understanding of place. We participate in civic activity and partnerships to address a range of urban challenges and deliver a diverse portfolio of research and consultancy, influencing and impacting place-based policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Participation in Knowledge Diplomacy Visit (Miguel Camara) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with members of the Foreign Office, Royal Society, UKRI and DSTL to discuss current NBIC work on the international strategy. A key emphasis was put on the current dialogues to identify synergisms between the exploitation of biofilms in Agriculture between the UK and Argentina. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participation in Pre-X strategic group meetings (Miguel Camara) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Strategic groups to define the unmet research needs and priority areas in drug discovery covering the gap between hit to lead identification using the appropriate in vitro/in vivo models and medicinal chemistry approaches. These groups have been created to lobby funders and generate targeted collaborations that can accelerate discoveries in the AMR landscape. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participation in Science in the Park 2024 (Prof Kim Hardie) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | At Science in the Park on March 9th, the NBIC stand had another great position in Wollaton Hall, interacted with participants (63), all of which ticked the option that they would recommend others to take part in the activity and 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' that it increased their understanding about how germs are spread between people via hands and surfaces. The activities included making models of different bacteria from 'Play Doh' using the inspiration of microscope images and the Giant Microbe cuddly toys. The other activity was a simulation of germ transfer using an iridescent powder that can only be seen under the UV light. This activity was initially designed as part of the Royal Society Summer Exhibition 2019 stand 'Super Biomaterials to fight Super Bugs'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Physics x Art at the National Museum of Scotland as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival (JC Denis, Ines Foidl, Cait MacPhee) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Art exhibition featuring work created by student artists and inspired by physics research, including biofilms art and sculptures. The exhibition was open to the general public as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Pint of Science 2023 - "Lasers vs The Superbugs" & "'I Contain Multitudes': The surprising world of microscopic biofilms all around you" (Joe Parker & Callum Highmore) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Drs Joe Parker & Callum Highmore gave talks at Pint of Science 2023, the event was titled "The weird and wonderful life under a microscope". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://pintofscience.co.uk/event/the-weird-and-wonderful-life-under-a-microscope |
| Description | Plant Microbiome webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Dr. Tomislav Cernava, Assoc Professor in Plant-Microbe Interactions at the University of Southampton, was one of the speakers at an Innovate UK Plant Microbiome webinar. With the reduction in use of crop protection active ingredients, the rising costs of fertilisers, and the frequent reporting of negative impact of chemical products on biodiversity, microbiome-based product innovation has emerged as a complementary alternative for sustainable crop production. The webinar explored how to engage with the microbiome innovation community to discuss the important topics within the sector as well as share further details of the upcoming industry networking events and funding opportunities. The event was aimed at academics, industry scientists, entrepreneurs, supporting organisations and funders interested in: Crop production, Plant and soil microbiomes, Microbiome innovation. The aims of the webinar were to learn about recent research and innovation in the plant & soil microbiomes sector, hear from pioneering companies and researchers developing microbiome-based technologies, and forge new connections for potential collaborations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentations at the International Continence Society Annual General Meeting (Sandra Wilks) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Attendance and presentation of a papers at the International Continence Society Annual General Meeting. The talks covered work on the use of the Uroshield device to prevent biofilm development on urinary catheters and understanding biofilm formation on ureteric stents. The meeting is the main international conference for urology clinical professionals and industry groups. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ics.org/2023/programme |
| Description | Princess Royal visit (JC Denis) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Princess Royal opens the new Nucleus Building at the King's Building campus. This included a tour of the new building, where NBIC has a exhibition space showcasing biofilm art. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | RIKEN CPR 2023 - Japan- Scientific Advisory Panel Member (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | RIKEN is Japan's largest comprehensive research institution renowned for high-quality research in a diverse range of scientific disciplines. Founded in 1917 as a private research foundation in Tokyo, RIKEN has grown rapidly in size and scope, today encompassing a network of world-class research centres and institutes across Japan. Attended as Scientific Advisory Panel member for the 2nd Advisory Council for Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR)- Japan Outcomes and recommendations inform pioneering researchers in different fields, covering Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Engineering. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | RSB Biology for a Better Tomorrow Campaign |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC supported Southampton's Precision Biosciences Innovation Hub (PBIH) with their contribution to the 'Biology for a Better Tomorrow' campaign from the Royal Society of Biology and Content With Purpose. Co-Director Professor Jeremy Webb and Interdisciplinary Research Fellow, Dr Callum Highmore took part in the University of Southampton's campaign video, which highlights how PBIH are helping to solve challenging issues around food security, climate change, AMR and healthy ageing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://contentwithpurpose.co.uk/rsb/biology-for-a-better-tomorrow/series_partners/university-of-sou... |
| Description | Rank Prize Symposium, Lake District - Keynote Speaker (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The topic of the symposium is "Ultrafast meets ultrasmall: exploring the uncharted territory of quantum dynamics" and will cover topics ranging across ultrafast spectroscopy, time-resolved scanning probe microscopy, atomic scale manufacturing and quantum nano-electronics. The Rank Prize symposia are small, interactive meetings between a mix of senior speakers and early-career researchers- stimulating discussion, understanding and collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.rankprize.org/symposia/ultrafast-meets-ultrasmall-exploring-the-uncharted-territory-of-q... |
| Description | Reformulating Biomaterials industry day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Cait MacPhee attended an industry day co-organised by the Centre for Engineering Biology and the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh. NBIC's Engineer theme aligns directly with the field of Engineering Biology and seeks to apply biofilm engineering approaches to industrial and biotechnological challenges. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Round Table discussion at the IBBS19 symposium on 'How do we create standards for antibiofilm technologies' |
| 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 | Dr Paulina Rakowska (NBIC) co-organised a roundtable discussion on biofilm standards and methods at the 19th International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation Symposium in September 2024. Led by members of the International Biofilm Standards Task Group, the session brought together 26 representatives from academia, industry, and several groups active in biofilm standardisation. A key highlight was the participation of five standardisation organisations - ASTM, IBRG, BSI, CEN, and AMPP - creating a rare opportunity for all these key stakeholders to collaborate in one room. Presentations from these organisations were followed by smaller group discussions, where attendees explored the challenges and benefits of harmonising biofilm standardisation initiatives. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://ibbs19.org/Speakers+and+Programme.html |
| Description | Royal Society of Biology Parliamentary Links Day 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Profs Kim Hardie and Cair MacPhee took part in the Royal Society of Biology Parliamentary Links Day 2025. The Links Day is the largest science event in the annual Parliamentary events calendar and brings together scientists, learned societies, and MPs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | SEFARI Waste emissions working group meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Cait MacPhee and Dr Gavin Melaugh from the University of Edinburgh are members of Specialist Advisory Group working on improving emission projections from Scotland's waste sector. The aims of the group are: To review the methodology for waste emissions forecasting, assessing the quality and relevance of the underpinning science and assumptions. To put forward key recommendations to improve the methodology for future waste emissions forecasting - for example, making the methodology more flexible to allow easier modelling of different scenarios, or identifying additional data requirements. To identify key linkages between waste and other sectors, identifying where actions in one sector will have knock on emission impacts in another. The group has been organised by SEFARI Gateway, Scotland's Centre of Expertise for knowledge exchange and innovation and experts in knowledge exchange for the Scottish Government's Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research Portfolio. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://sefari.scot/news/sefari-specialist-advisory-group-call-for-experts-to-join-resas-led-project... |
| Description | SEFARI Workshop on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | NBIC Edinburgh Co-Director, Professor Cait MacPhee attended a workshop focused on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in older electrical equipment and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in flame retardants. These harmful substances contaminate materials and prevent them from being effectively recycled. Organised by SEFARI Gateway, SEFARI Gateway, Scotland's Centre of Expertise on Knowledge Exchange, discussions focused on the challenges of POPs in Scotland and informing policy development. During the workshop, a Specialist Advisory Group led by the James Hutton Institute shared insights on emerging technologies and practices for managing POP-containing materials and sought input from the assembled experts on practical opportunities and limitations of applying these within the Scottish context. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | SOTSEF Winchester Science Centre Takeover 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | SOTSEF Winchester Science Centre Takeover on 13 March 2025 saw 277 children attending Activities for the day. The theme was 'The Tiny World Around Us' with contributions on phage and biofilms from NBIC, led by JC Denis and Matt Irwin. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | School Visit (Netley) (Dr Callum Highmore) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I visited Netley Abbey School as part of their STEM week to talk about bacteria, raise awareness of biofilms, and encourage children towards an interest in science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | School Visit in Netley (Callum Highmore) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I went to a school to speak about science, bacteria and biofilms to 4-5 year olds, using images from studies I have conducted and bacterial toys as props. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | School visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | NBIC IRF, Dr Callum Highmore, joined a school careers day where schoolchildren asked questions about work and life as a scientist. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School visit (Whiston J&I School) (Dr Samantha McLean) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | This outreach activity is part of an ongoing annual outreach connection between Dr Samantha McLean and a local primary school. This year 31 Year 6 pupils at Whiston Junior and Infant School took part in the activity along with two teachers and a teaching assistant. The primary aim of this ongoing outreach work is to improve microbiology education in local primary schools. Dr McLean visited the school for two days during the week and provided the children with a general introduction to microbiology and biofilms. Through practical activities students gained hands-on experience of how microorganisms spread throughout the environment, how biofilm formation makes microorganisms more difficult to clear and the variety of microorganisms that live all around us. This information was related to everyday activities that children undertake such as washing hands and brushing teeth, which ensured that students could relate to the concepts taught. Interactive Kahoot quizzes were a huge student favourite and further developed their understanding of the roles that microorganisms and biofilms play in our lives in a fun and engaging way. The students were able to carry out their own experiment swabbing their environment to find the different types of microbes that live there. They learned how to generate and test a hypothesis based on what they thought they would find and then how to change their hypothesis if the evidence suggested they should. The students loved making hair gel biofilms to understand more about the properties of these microbial communities and how this related to brushing teeth. The students were highly engaged and enthusiastic throughout the whole experience, asking many excellent questions and loving the hands-on approach to microbiology learning. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024,2025 |
| URL | https://appliedmicrobiology.org/resource/dr-mclean-s-primary-school-outreach.html |
| Description | Science and Engineering Day 2024 at the University of Southampton |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Southampton Science and Engineering Festival (SOTSEF) is the University of Southampton's annual award-winning interdisciplinary science and engineering festival that allows everyone to explore and discover what the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) has to offer. It is a 10-day programme of digital and in-person events taking place across the University and the City of Southampton. NBIC took part in the event, engaging the public with our lego biofilm model. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Science and Engineering Day 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC attended Science and Engineering day 2025 at the University of Southampton. Attendees were able to get hands on with laboratory microscopes to view microbes and biofilms in much larger way. They were also able to build their own biofilm with NBIC's Lego® microbe building kits. These have varying levels of challenge so there's a chance for everyone to join the fun and build their own microscopic creature. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Science in the Park 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC's public engagement officer, Dr JC Denis, took NBIC's lego biofilm model to Science in the Park 2025 in Nottingham. In collaboration with NBIC researchers at the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, NBIC ran a "Secret world of microbes" stand at the event where members of the public could build their own biofilms, learn about their role in our everyday lives, and hear how NBIC Nottingham's research contributes to combatting harmful biofilms. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/policyengagementblog/science-in-the-park-is-back-in-nottingham-this-spr... |
| Description | Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) 2024 |
| 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 | NBIC presemnted at the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH). The event brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, creators, accelerators and investors to ignite collaboration and drive innovation, exploring themes such as AI applications across industries, climate-tech innovations and growth opportunities for startups. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://tickets.switchsg.org/SWITCH2024 |
| Description | Site visit to Scottish Water at Bo'ness |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC Edinburgh visited Scottish Water Horizons's Waste Water Development Centre and Treatment Works at Bo'ness. The team saw how new innovations can be trialled at an operational scale and secure environment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Skin Deep: The Microbiome's Role in Healthy Skin - Microbiome Medics Podcast (Dr Holly Wilkinson) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Here I went on the Microbiome Medics podcast to talk about the importance of the skin microbiome in health and disease. The Microbiome Medics Podcast is the place where clinicians, scientists and anyone else can learn about Human Microbiomes, Lifestyle Medicine, how they connect and how they can be harnessed to improve health outcomes. The host of the podcast highlighted that this episode was the highest rated and engaged with episode of the year. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://open.spotify.com/episode/7cjCBB7uCPUllPjYjOqumw |
| Description | Snakes and Ladders for a healthy Brain (Jessica Teeling) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Public engagement activity to raise awareness for risk factors of dementia, using a giant snakes and ladder game and electronic game, facilitated dialogue with a wide range of audiences |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival - Hands on Humanities Day (Fatima Pereira) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival is the University of Southampton's annual celebration of Humanities and the Arts, and the only UK's only national festival of the humanities. The activity intended to raise awareness for mental health and cognitive function diseases. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.southamptonartshumfest.co.uk/ |
| Description | Southern Policy Centre 2023 conference (Jo Slater-Jefferies) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Over 150 participants and speakers came together at the SPC's 'Ambitions for the central South' conference at Southampton Solent University. Quick fire panels explored sustainable economic growth, the importance of place shaping, health inequality and inclusion, and the possibility of local devolution, with speakers including university Vice Chancellors, business representatives, local government, voluntary and environmental organisations and health leaders. Recognition of the central South, a region with flexible boundaries but a core of the three waterfront cities, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, east Dorset and West Sussex, continues to grow, with the branding used by businesses, universities and this year's delegation to the MIPIM property investment conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://southernpolicycentre.co.uk/ambitions-for-the-central-south-conference-2023/ |
| Description | Sustainability Festival at Gilmerton Primary school |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | NBIC Edinburgh took part in the Learning for Sustainability Festival at Gilmerton Primary (alongside colleagues from the School of Engineering). The event explored the water cycle, specifically water treatment that uses bacteria, and the pupils were then able to build bacteria for NBIC's lego biofilm model. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Sustainability Festival at Gilmerton Primary school |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Dr Gavin Melaugh and Dr JC Denis (both UoE), along with colleagues from the School of Engineering, took part in the Learning for Sustainability Festival at Gilmerton Primary. They spoke to the school kids about the water cycle, specifically water treatment that uses bacteria. The kids were then able to build their own lego bacteria using NBIC's lego biofilm model. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | TSA Biofilms Open Day 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The Textile Services Association (TSA), in collaboration with De Montfort University (DMU), hosted the Biofilms Open Day on Wednesday, 23rd July 2025, at the Leicester Marriott. This event united key stakeholders from academia, industry, and innovation networks to discuss one of the most pressing challenges facing the textile and laundry sector, biofilm formation in industrial washing systems. The programme featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including experts from the National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC), The Biofilm Alliance, DMU, and TSA leadership. Topics ranged from understanding biofilm biology and its implications for industrial hygiene to outlining ongoing research initiatives supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) through NBIC's Collaborative Training Partnership (CTP). The event showcased a growing commitment to addressing biological challenges in industrial laundry, including microbial persistence in tunnel washers and the limitations of conventional disinfection methods. Through shared insights and open discussion, the forum aimed to define a scope of research, establish a steering group, and encourage collaboration across sectors. The presence of global research and supply partners underscored the strategic importance of this work to both the UK and international textile services industries. Dr Jay Sangha from NBIC gave a talk which highlighted the critical role of biofilm standards and regulations in ensuring consistent, science-based approaches to hygiene validation and process control within this industry. The presentation also emphasised the importance of cross-sector collaboration, uniting regulators, researchers, and industry leaders, to create unified strategies for managing biofilm-related risks. Our participation reinforced the Biofilm Alliance's mission to foster evidence-based innovation that translates into safer, more sustainable, and more resilient industrial practices. Events like this underline the power of partnership in tackling complex microbial challenges and advancing the shared goal of improved biofilm management across industries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://tsa-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/Biofilms-Open-Day-2025.pdf |
| Description | The Challenges of Urinary Tract Infections conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Ashraf Zarkan was an invited speaker at "The Challenges of Urinary Tract Infections" conference 2023, organised by the British Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. Dr Zarkan presented an NBIC-funded project and highlighted its potential impact towards developing an antibiofilm therapy for UTIs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | The Heseltine Institute & University of Liverpool |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Ongoing engagement with The Heseltine Institute. The Heseltine Institute brings together academic expertise from across the University with policy-makers and practitioners to support the development of sustainable and inclusive cities and city regions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | The King's Buildings Doors Open Day 2023 (Edinburgh) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NBIC were represented on a stand at the 2023 Doors Open Day, which saw around 2000 visitors to the Nucleus Building in KB. Approximately 500 visited the biophysics stand (run by Dr JC Denis), which included NBIC's lego biofilms model. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Transforming Lives: Karnataka, Dundee & Beyond 2023 (Prof Nicola Stanley-Wall) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The University of Dundee hosted an inter-institutional competition event between three student teams from universities in Karnataka state, India between February 2023 to June 2023. The competition was established in partnership with the Karnataka State Higher Education Council and British Council and focussed on themes in Life Sciences and Engineering. Each student team was required to propose a project which could be developed at their home institution over the course of 4 months before attending a 5-day residential visit to the University of Dundee in June 2023. The universities taking part and their projects were: University Of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering - Experimental investigation on usage of Plastic Oil and used Cooking Oil as an alternate fuel in Diesel Engine University of Agricultural Sciences - Design and developing a low-cost solar based sensor automatic irrigation system in remote areas of Karnataka Gulbarga University - Assessment of Gut microbiome profile and antimicrobial resistance pattern in local tribal population in Kalaburagi region During their project development, virtual sessions were held with academics at the University of Dundee in the School of Life Sciences and School of Science and Engineering to contribute ideas and existing research to the projects. During the residential week in Dundee in June 2023, students were able to take part in site visits relevant to their project with the University of Agricultural Sciences visiting the James Hutton Institute and Gulbarga University visiting the Discovery Centre to visit labs and take part in an interactive game with the public engagement team. There was also representation from academics in the School of Life Sciences and School of Science and Engineering as part of the judging panel for the competition final presentations. The competition itself was won by the University of Agricultural Sciences. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | UK Microbiome Biobank: Roadmap to Implementation Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | NBIC brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss the opportunities, benefits and challenges in creating a UK Microbiome Biobank with the vision of becoming a beacon for the acceleration of UK and international research and innovation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | UK Microbiome One Health Conference 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Professor Jo Slater-Jefferies pitched NBIC and chaired a session at the UK Microbiome One Health Conference 2024 at the University of Liverpool in September. The conference brought together academics, industry scientists, entrepreneurs and funders interested in microbiome research and innovation from a wide range of sectors including human, animal, plant and environmental microbiome innovation. Delegates were able to share learning about advances being made in microbiome research and innovation and forge new connections and collaborations with others operating within the UK's microbiome innovation community. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/microbiome-innovation-centre/news/stories/title,1470279,en.html |
| Description | Unilever - Microbiome Innovation Centre sandpit (Prof. Rasmita Raval) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A collaborative sandpit in which Unilever colleagues will share and discuss their current interests and challenges around microbiome research with MIC affiliates, with the aim of identifying areas of mutual interest and potential collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Venturefest South Board Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | VFS stimulates the South's innovation ecosystem by working with key partners and influencers to deliver a year round programme and an annual Festival of Innovation that showcases the South's talent, innovative companies and research capabilities through bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs and funders. Its objectives are to Build the reputation of the Venturefest South region as a great place to innovate and scale; Signpost resources, information, partners, sponsors and ideas that growing companies need most; Offer young entrepreneurs an inspirational platform; Help established businesses explore ways to scale up; Give primes or anchor organisations a way to engage with SME and innovation supply chain; Provide early stage businesses zero cost promotional opportunities to share their ideas and innovations; Bring interesting people together in interesting ways; Deliver value to our core audience by bringing them together |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Venturefest South: Exploiting Every Aspect of Your Business |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC has a new partnership with Venturefest South, the fastest-growing innovation and business growth programme in the South. Venturefest South is a collaboration between government, education, and business to foster growth and innovation. Alongside NBIC, the 2024 programme also welcomed Arts University Bournemouth, Blake Morgan, Barclays Eagle Labs, Openshaw & Co., and the National Oceanography Centre as new partners. They join the existing partners including DSTL, South Hampshire College Group, Carswell Gould, University of Winchester, University of Southampton, University of Portsmouth, British Business Bank, and Solent Partners. As part of the programme, Venturefest is holding a series of "Rumble Events", focusing on topics including as funding, investment and IP protection. The first two events in this series took place in July and September: Shaping Your Plans for Business Growth (Location: Southampton Science Park) and Scaling Your Capability for Growth (Barclays Eagle Labs/Portsmouth Technopole) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://biofilms.ac.uk/venturefest-south-exploiting-every-aspect-of-your-business/ |
| Description | Venturefest South: Festival of Innovation (November 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | NBIC have partnered with VentureFest South and attended this year's Festival of Innovation. This year, the event was structured around three core themes; Seed, Grow, and Sell - each representing a critical stage in the entrepreneurial journey. Venturefest South's programme has supported more than 10,000 businesses and individuals and continues to drive collaborations. At the event, NBIC connected with SMEs and innovators interested in microbiology and biofilms, higlighting the opportunities available through our network, including Proof of Concept funding, an Innovation Voucher scheme, Flexible Talent Mobility Account scheme, and Industry Membership opportunities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://venturefestsouth.co.uk/news/the-power-of-connection-and-creativity-vfs24 |
| Description | Visit by Bruker to the University of Liverpool |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Bruker training/ technician visits to the Surface Science Research Centre at the University of Liverpool. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Women in Tech Policy Parliamentary Reception 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | NBIC's CEO, Prof. Jo Slater-Jefferies, attended the Women in Tech Policy Network hosted their first ever Parliamentary networking reception. The network's aim is to drive women's inclusion in the tech policymaking process by presenting an opportunity for female experts to directly meet policymakers. By bringing together Labour Digital, Digital Tories, Digital LibDems, and women's political networks, this cross-party reception will foster connections between experts, MPs, and Peers to ensure women's voices lead in creating the future of tech policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Work Experience Week 2023 (Edinburgh) (JC Denis) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A work experience week was run for high school pupils from local schools. This included biophysics work, with two days spent with biophysics researchers including discussions around biofilms and NBIC. Around 7 students took part in total. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Workshop on Biofilm Methodologies and Food Sector Regulation (Biofilms Alliance, NBIC, and UK Food Safety Research Network) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Despite the significant scientific and economic opportunities and challenges posed by biofilms, the absence of regulatory frameworks, standardised protocols and guidelines is hindering advances in biofilm control technologies. In response, the Biofilm Alliance initiative, NBIC and FSRN organised a half-day workshop to bring together food industry professionals, microbiologists and regulatory experts to discuss current challenges and needs, examine regulatory hurdles, and identify gaps in existing methodologies - all to support more agile and effective regulations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |