Understanding Microbial Biofilms

Prof. Surajit Das is currently working at the Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India. He received his doctoral degree in Marine Biology with specialization in microbiology from the Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India. He has been awarded the Endeavour Research Fellowship by the Australian Government to conduct postdoctoral research on marine microbial technology at the University of Tasmania. He has more than 15 years of research experience in environmental biotechnology, marine microbiology, bacterial biofilm, waste water treatment, and bioremediation. Prof. Das has maintained a strong commitment to explore the diversity of marine microorganisms from tropical, coastal, mangrove, and deep-sea environments using taxonomic and molecular tools. The main goal of his research is to understand the genetic regulation of bacterial biofilm for the improvement and development of biofilm-mediated bioremediation, thereby restoring the deteriorating environment as an eco-friendly approach. Dr. Neelam Amit Kungwani completed her PhD from the Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India, and is currently working as Research Coordinator at Paediatric Associates, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. She completed her M.Sc. in biotechnology from the School of Biotechnology, Guru Ghasidas University Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. During her PhD, she served as a visiting research scholar in one of the prestigious organizations in Chennai: Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, BARC, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, India. She also holds a postgraduate diploma in intellectual property and rights. She has worked as a Senior Innovation Fellow at National Innovation Foundation, India, where she extensively worked on the innovation related to human health. Earlier, she served as Biotechnology Faculty at the Government Science College, affiliated to Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Her research interest includes bacterial pathogenesis, microbial biofilms, bioremediation, quorum sensing, functional genomics, phytomedicines, and marine drugs. She has also worked in the field of ocean acidification and impact of climate changes on bacterial DNA repair system. She has published 25 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and has authored 9 book chapters and 12 conference proceedings.

Section A: Introduction to biofilms 1. Marine biofilms: Bacterial diversity and dynamics 2. Cyanobacterial biofilms: Perspectives from Origin to Applications 3. From understanding bacterial interactions to developing bactericidal surfaces: Applications of analytical techniques 4. Microbial biofilms: Unravel their potential for agricultural applications under agro-ecosystem 5. Chemotaxis and rhizobacterial biofilm formation in plant-microbe interaction 6. Scanning electron microscopy and variable-pressure SEM application in biofilm imaging 7. Aspects of biofilms on medical devices

Section B: Biofilms in nature 8. Metagenomic analysis of electroactive microorganisms in corrosion: Impact of the corrosive biofilms in the oil industry 9. Biofilms in dairy industry 10. Microalgal biofilm and their prospective application for wastewater treatment and biofuel production 11. Biochemical and molecular mechanisms of sulfate-reducing bacterial biofilms 12. Biofilms and their role in corrosion in marine environments 13. Natural biofilms: Structure, development, and habitats

Section C: Biofilm lifestyle of various microorganisms and its control 14. Role of biofilms in hospitalacquired infections (HAIs) 15. Implication of Vibrio biofilms in human and seafood sector 16. Candida: Biofilm formation and antifungal resistance 17. Removal and control of biofilms in wounds 18. Microbial biofilms: A persisting public health challenge 19. Biofilms in antibiotic resistance and pathogenesis in relation to foodborne infection and control strategies 20. Biofilms associated with biomedical implants and active therapies

Section D: Molecular and biochemical aspect of microbial biofilms 21. Influence of bacterial cell wall modulating genes and enzymes on biofilm formation with special emphasis on the role of DD-carboxypeptidases 22. Role of small regulatory RNAs in microbial pathogenesis and biofilm formation: Emerging role as potential drug targets 23. Genetic basis of biofilm formation and their role in antibiotic resistance, adhesion, and persistent infections in ESKAPE pathogens 24. The emergence of predominance in the constitutive microflora of dairy membrane biofilm 25. Molecular basis of cariogenic biofilm and infections

Section E: Biofilms and pathogenesis 26. Salmonella biofilm and its importance in the pathogenesis 27. Mycobacterial biofilm:Structure and its functional relevance in the pathogenesis 28. Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilms and human infectious diseases: A comprehensive review 29. Oral biofilms: Architecture and control 30. Molecular mechanisms of  Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm formation its impact on  virulence, persistence, and pathogenesis 31. Polymicrobial biofilms: Impact on fungal pathogenesis 32. Molecular mechanism of biofilm formation of pathogenic micororganisms and their role in host pathogen interaction 33. Pathogenic biofilm in environmental and industrial setups and their public health threats 34. Biofilm formation: A well-played game in bacterial pathogenesis

Section F: Application of microbial biofilms 35. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and their biofilms in promoting sustainable agriculture and soil health 36. Antagonistic Bacilli as a prospective probiotics against pathogenic biofilms 37. Use of bacterial biofilms to produce high added-value compounds 38. Biofilms as sustainable tools for environmental biotechnologies: An interdisciplinary approach 39. Use of biofilm bacteria to enhance overall microbial fuel cell performance 40. Industrial applications and implications of biofilms