National Biofilms Innovation Centre - FTMA
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: School of Biological Sciences
Abstract
The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) is seeking funding from the BBSRC to deliver and improve its annual FTMA calls for the next three years. Established in 2017, NBIC is an Innovation Knowledge Centre funded by BBSRC and Innovate UK, established in 2017 by four universities: Southampton, Liverpool, Nottingham, and Edinburgh. NBIC has a robust network, bringing together 63 academic and research partner institutions, and over 150 businesses focused on addressing biofilm challenges.
The FTMA projects are popular and sought after within the NBIC biofilm community and valued for their impact. Over the past 5 years, NBIC has supported 43 projects through FTMA funding, fostering exchanges, placements, and training within its extensive biofilm network spanning and connecting academia and industry. The majority of these projects involved collaborations between academia and industry partners, including start-ups, SMEs, and large businesses, both within the UK and internationally.
NBIC-FTMA will be open to a diverse range of participants, including investigators, postdoctoral research staff, research technical professionals, venture capitalists, and technology transfer offices. The annual open calls for FTMA projects will be managed by the NBIC Operational Team, with funds disbursed from the University of Southampton, which hosts the NBIC Office and Operational Team.
The beneficiaries of the NBIC-FTMA awards will include early career researchers, research technical professionals from research organisations and industry R&D, industry partners, and the broader academic community. Successful awardees will be responsible for effectively managing the placements and reporting on the undertaken FTMA projects.
The evaluation process will ensure that FTMA projects align with the NBIC strategic goals and the chosen UKRI priority area of 'Tackling infections', with a commitment to dedicating at least 25% of the projects to early career researchers and another 25% to research technical professionals. Success will be measured through metrics such as the transition of researchers into industry, securing follow-on funding, technology transfer, and the commercialisation of research outputs.
Focusing on the priority area of "Tackling Infections," NBIC- FTMA projects will address the significant role that biofilms play in persistent infections and microbial contamination across various sectors, including healthcare settings, medical device-related infections, food safety, water systems, manufacturing, and other areas where control of pathogens is critical.
The FTMA projects are popular and sought after within the NBIC biofilm community and valued for their impact. Over the past 5 years, NBIC has supported 43 projects through FTMA funding, fostering exchanges, placements, and training within its extensive biofilm network spanning and connecting academia and industry. The majority of these projects involved collaborations between academia and industry partners, including start-ups, SMEs, and large businesses, both within the UK and internationally.
NBIC-FTMA will be open to a diverse range of participants, including investigators, postdoctoral research staff, research technical professionals, venture capitalists, and technology transfer offices. The annual open calls for FTMA projects will be managed by the NBIC Operational Team, with funds disbursed from the University of Southampton, which hosts the NBIC Office and Operational Team.
The beneficiaries of the NBIC-FTMA awards will include early career researchers, research technical professionals from research organisations and industry R&D, industry partners, and the broader academic community. Successful awardees will be responsible for effectively managing the placements and reporting on the undertaken FTMA projects.
The evaluation process will ensure that FTMA projects align with the NBIC strategic goals and the chosen UKRI priority area of 'Tackling infections', with a commitment to dedicating at least 25% of the projects to early career researchers and another 25% to research technical professionals. Success will be measured through metrics such as the transition of researchers into industry, securing follow-on funding, technology transfer, and the commercialisation of research outputs.
Focusing on the priority area of "Tackling Infections," NBIC- FTMA projects will address the significant role that biofilms play in persistent infections and microbial contamination across various sectors, including healthcare settings, medical device-related infections, food safety, water systems, manufacturing, and other areas where control of pathogens is critical.
Organisations
- University of Southampton (Collaboration, Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- University of Surrey (Collaboration)
- Haleon (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM (Collaboration)
- University of Liverpool (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Ohio University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH (Collaboration)
| Description | Awarded Project - A New Sustainable Approach to Reduce Biofilm Formation and Treat Water for Human Without the Need for Chemical Agents |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for pre-award liaisons, proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of Southampton hosted staff from Provectus International Ltd (SME). The company brought several "Advanced Water Protocol" (AWP) prototypes and associated equipment (pumps, tubing, flow meters, coolers) to set up three units which were installed and tested by Provectus staff and the award recipient, to meet both the technical requirements of the systems and the microbiological containment needs within the laboratory at the University of Southampton. The SME gained access to microbiology laboratory to tests their systems while the academic beneficiary gained new knowledge and skills from the technical experts from the SME.. |
| Impact | The recipient of the award, by hosting SME at the Southampton University learned and applied new techniques relating to water microbiological analysis. Several avenues of research for future work have been identified on which the partners now wok together |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Awarded Project - 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 | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for pre-award liaisons, proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The project enabled secondment f the beneficiary to the University of Oxford and provided him with hands-on training in cell culture, biofilm cultivation, single-cell Raman spectroscopy for cell physiology, and molecular and engineering biology of Ralstonia eutropha biofilm, and to apply these acquired skills at the University of Southampton. This training provided 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 | no impacts yet |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Awarded Project - 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 | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for pre-award liaisons, proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The project enabled secondment f the beneficiary to the University of Oxford and provided him with hands-on training in cell culture, biofilm cultivation, single-cell Raman spectroscopy for cell physiology, and molecular and engineering biology of Ralstonia eutropha biofilm, and to apply these acquired skills at the University of Southampton. This training provided 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 | no impacts yet |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Awarded Project - Industrial Standards for biofilm solution validation |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for pre-award liaisons, proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring |
| Collaborator Contribution | This mobility project enables staff exchange between the University and the SME. Technical Professional at the University of Southampton will develop expertise in industry standard testing (UoS exchange to industry). The SME will gain knowledge and familiarity of cutting-edge biofilm research techniques (SME exchange to academia). The project will catalyse collaborative innovation in the area of DUWL biofilm characterisation and prevention, so that advances in biofilm science can be translated into impactful improvements in dental patient outcomes and clinic safety. |
| Impact | no impacts yet |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Awarded Project - Photo-antimicrobial Coatings for Heritage Preservation |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contribution by Collaborating Partner: The Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology contributed to the project by providing research materials and laboratory supplies, contributing to travel and accommodation of the person undertaking secondments and staff time for supervision. University of Liverpool contributed to the project by providing research materials and lab space and staff time for supervision. |
| Impact | This project supports the collaboration between the Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces at the University of Liverpool and the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology in Italy. The award supports the secondment of Early Career Researcher from the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology to the university of Liverpool. The secondment is aimed at knowledge exchange between the two organisations. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Awarded Project - Single cell tracking of orally pathogens to provide insight into commercial formulations |
| Organisation | Haleon |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Haleon provides formulations and knowledge surrounding oral biofilms, lab space and equipment and salary costs for supervision. |
| Impact | This award enables the researcher to foster a collaboration with Haleon for knowledge transfer partnerships. The data generated will be used internally at Haleon for the promotion of novel method development and externally for public understanding of science campaigns and the collaboration is intended to encourage the funding of oral research at the University of Nottingham which is a new area of research for this faculty. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Awarded Project - Single cell tracking of orally pathogens to provide insight into commercial formulations |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Haleon provides formulations and knowledge surrounding oral biofilms, lab space and equipment and salary costs for supervision. |
| Impact | This award enables the researcher to foster a collaboration with Haleon for knowledge transfer partnerships. The data generated will be used internally at Haleon for the promotion of novel method development and externally for public understanding of science campaigns and the collaboration is intended to encourage the funding of oral research at the University of Nottingham which is a new area of research for this faculty. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Awarded Project - The Role of RsaE in regulating biofilm formation on catheters |
| Organisation | Ohio University |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for pre-award liaisons, proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Ohio University hosted a technical professional from the Nottingham University to provide hand-on training (expertise and facilities) on using murine catheter system. |
| Impact | This mobility award provided technical professional from the University of Edinburgh with knowledge on the development and using new experimental protocols and transfer this knowledge to their home institution. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Awarded Project - The Role of RsaE in regulating biofilm formation on catheters |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for pre-award liaisons, proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Ohio University hosted a technical professional from the Nottingham University to provide hand-on training (expertise and facilities) on using murine catheter system. |
| Impact | This mobility award provided technical professional from the University of Edinburgh with knowledge on the development and using new experimental protocols and transfer this knowledge to their home institution. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Awraded Project - Biocoatings for Enhanced Bioleaching Performance |
| Organisation | University of Portsmouth |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for pre-award liaisons, proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The project enabled a series of placements (short visits) between the project partners, enabling the beneficiary to gain new skills and establish collaboration with experts in biocoating development at the University of Surrey. |
| Impact | No impact yet |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Awraded Project - Biocoatings for Enhanced Bioleaching Performance |
| Organisation | University of Surrey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NBIC Operational Team have contributed time for pre-award liaisons, proposal review, contract agreement coordination, project set up and monitoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The project enabled a series of placements (short visits) between the project partners, enabling the beneficiary to gain new skills and establish collaboration with experts in biocoating development at the University of Surrey. |
| Impact | No impact yet |
| Start Year | 2025 |