Syracuse University professors receive National Science Foundation Grant for collaborative research on bacteria-surface interactions
Tuesday, September 02, 2008

A research team headed by two Syracuse University professors has received a $200,000, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation for an interdisciplinary study of bacterial biofilms that will help define ways to stem the destructive impact they have in industrial and medical settings.



Dacheng Ren, assistant professor of biomedical and chemical engineering in the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Yan-Yeung Luk, assistant professor of chemistry in The College of Arts and Sciences, are principal investigator and co-principal investigator, respectively, on “Collaborative Research: Investigating Bacteria-Surface Interactions by Surface Engineering and Mathematical Modeling.” The SU team will perform collaborative research with a University of South Carolina team led by mathematics professor Qi Wang, who received a separate $100,000 grant from the NSF for their effort. The USC team will focus on the mathematical modeling of the project through close collaboration with the SU team.



Bacterial biofilms are highly hydrated structures that contain bacterial cells and easily attach to surfaces. They are known to be stubborn to antibiotics and disinfectants. “Deleterious biofilms can cause serious problems in industrial settings, resulting in persistent biofouling, and medical settings, resulting in chronic infections,” says Ren. “Such problems are blamed for billions of dollars of losses and more than 45,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone.”



Ren says the project will cross a broad spectrum of disciplines, including surface engineering, microbiology, genetic engineering and mathematics. This is a unique opportunity to study biofilm formation with well understanding of surface chemistry with atomic resolution by rigorously integrating knowledge from different fields. The results from this interdisciplinary research will provide critical information for revealing the mechanism of biofilm formation and developing more effective control methods.



This project will provide summer research and independent study opportunities for college students. The research team also plans to organize workshops and provide research activities for high school teachers and students, particularly for underrepresented groups. These educational activities will provide exciting opportunities for students to get involved in interdisciplinary research on bacterial biofilms, which present important challenges to our society.









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