Center for Biofilm Engineering

News Update: 

March, 2008

Volume 11, Issue 2-3

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Research Highlights

Technical Advisory Conference

This conference was action packed for our Industrial Associate members and invited guests who attended February 5-7. Sessions featured Industrial Biofilm Investigations, Visualizing Biofilms, and Health Care-Related Biofilms and included international guest speakers. A workshop and an open house poster session gave attendees the opportunity to practice some biofilm methods at the bench and also time to interact with the CBE’s staff and students in their labs and to view their posters.

View speakers and conference events: http://www.biofilm.montana.edu/Res-Lib99-SW/newsarchives/HTML/TAC_news/TACW_2008.htm

View workshop events: http://www.biofilm.montana.edu/Ind-Col99-SW/Workshops/TACW_Workshop2008.htm

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New Small Business Members

Ethox International distributes more than 80 brand name hospital products in almost every country in the world, and is the only contract service provider able to offer one source for medical and pharmaceutical needs worldwide. The designated representative will be Mark Fornalik.  Read more about Ethox International at the company’s homepage.

Targanta Therapeutics Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative antibiotics to treat serious infections in the hospital and other institutional settings. The designated representative will be Adam Belley.
Read more about Targanta at the company’s homepage.

 

View our Industrial Associate member companies

Read more about membership information

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Latest CBE Publications

“Senescence can explain microbial persistence”
Klapper, I., P. Gilbert, B.P. Ayati, J. Dockery, and P.S. Stewart
Microbiology, 153:3623-3630 (2007)
Read abstract

"Uranium immobilization by sulfate-reducing biofilms grown on hematite, dolomite, and calcite"
Marsili E., H. Beyenal, L. Di Palma, C. Merli, A. Dohnalkova, J.E. Amonette, and Z. Lewandowski
Environ. Sci. Technol., 41(24):8349-8354 (2007)
Read abstract

“Direct visualization of spatial and temporal patterns of antimicrobial action within model oral biofilms”
Takenaka S., Trivedi H.M., Corbin A., Pitts B., Stewart P.S.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2008 Jan 25 [Epub ahead of print]
Read abstract

“Physiological heterogeneity in biofilms”
Stewart P.S., Franklin M.J.
Nat Rev Microbiol., 6(3):199-210 (2008)
Read abstract

“Ubiquity of biological ice nucleators in snowfall”
Christner, Brent C., C.E. Morris, C.M. Foreman, R. Cai, D.C. Sands
Science, 319 (5867):1214 (2008)

Read abstract

and
View this cool video on Antarctica, where CBE researcher Christine Foreman does her work!
Source: CBS News, “Antarctic Yields Climate Clues,” Feb. 12, 2008


View the complete CBE publications database

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Education

W.G. Characklis Award

Congratulations to Laura Jennings, PhD candidate in environmental engineering, and recipient of the 2008 Characklis Award! The award was presented to Laura at the CBE’s winter Technical Advisory Conference by Nancy Characklis. The W.G. Characklis award was created in honor of the center's founder and is presented to a CBE PhD student based on his/her contributions in research, education, outreach, and industrial interaction.
Read more about Laura!
 

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Thesis Alert

“Spatial and temporal patterns of antimicrobial action against Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms,” Dissertation Defense by William Davison, PhD candidate in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, January 2008.

“A 3D computer model investigation of biofilm detachment and protection mechanisms,” Dissertation Defense by Jason Chambless, PhD candidate in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, February 2008.

View thesis abstracts

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CBE People in Action

Robin Gerlach presented “Oxidation-reduction reactions influencing the transformation of mixed contaminants in the presence of zero valent iron and biofilms” at the Pittcon Conference in New Orleans, LA, March 1-6, 2008.

Garth James presented “The role of biofilms in wound infection,” at the Wound Healing Conference in Paris, France, January 25-30, 2008.

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Upcoming CBE Workshops

Advanced Biofilm Methods Workshop – Technical Advisory Conference
July 14, 2008
This workshop is for CBE’s Industrial Associate members on a first-come, first-served basis. If there is space available for more participants, other conference attendees will be invited to join the workshop. Read more about CBE workshops


“Biofilms Summer School,” organized by the CBE's Biofilm Structure-Function Research Group, is composed of three workshops.

July 28 – August 8, 2008
Read the details of each workshop at the link below.

 

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