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SUMMARY:Fluid dynamics of bacterial biofilms - Nuno Miguel Oliveira (Unive
 rsity of Cambridge)
DTSTART:20181101T130000Z
DTEND:20181101T140000Z
UID:TALK114154@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Anne Herrmann
DESCRIPTION:Bacteria often live as biofilms—surface-associated communiti
 es encased by an extracellular matrix—that are critical for microbial bi
 ology and their impacts on us. While we have a thorough understanding of h
 ow free floating bacteria use diverse stress responses to adapt to changin
 g environmental conditions\, we know surprisingly little about how they co
 ordinate their responses as a collective in biofilms. For this biolunch\, 
 I will show you how submerged biofilms respond to quick changes in osmotic
  pressure. Surprisingly\, biofilms quickly shrink or expand their volume i
 n a coordinated fashion\, as a response to hyper- or hypo-osmotic shocks\,
  reminiscent of the osmotic stress responses of free floating bacteria. Th
 ese changes in biofilm volume result in strong fluid flows that can impact
  other cells in the neighborhood: biofilm fluid flows can attract or repel
  free-floating bacteria. I will discuss the ecological implications of thi
 s unexplored biofilm behavior\, and will argue that it is relevant to unde
 rstand the recently documented self-sustained “growth oscillations” in
  confined biofilms. Come if you enjoy pretty movies and the wonders of the
  microbial world.\n\n\n\n
LOCATION:MR11\, Centre for Mathematical Sciences\, Wilberforce Road\, Camb
 ridge
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