Biofilms 11

Overview

Biofilms 11 is the latest conference in the internationally renowned Biofilms series showcasing the broad scientific and societal opportunities and challenges of microbial biofilms. A key objective is to capitalise on the interdisciplinary nature of this exciting research topic by fostering discussion and catalysing the exchange of ideas across boundaries.

Hosted by the National Biofilms Innovation Centre and the Microbiology Society, Biofilms 11 continues its tradition of focusing on the fundamental understanding of biofilms and their role in driving the dynamics, activity, structure and function of microbial communities. This includes their interactions across microbiomes and viromes, and within environmental, industrial, and health settings.

It will also address cutting-edge technology developments, such as imaging, data-driven, and modelling approaches, integrating advances from both life and physical sciences for research and innovation applications.

The conference will spotlight speakers from diverse career pathways and backgrounds within the biofilm community to offer inspiration and guidance to attendees at all career stages.

Cardiff is surrounded by the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park, the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, and historic castles like Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch. It has excellent travel links and connections from London and Bristol.

We look forward to welcoming you at Biofilms 11!

International Scientific Committee:

Tom Coenye	Ghent University, Belgium
Yuri Antonio Diaz Fernandez	University of Pavia, Italy
Mark van Loosdrecht	Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
Manuel Romero	University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Rikke Louise Meyer	Aarhus University, Denmark
Iñigo Lasa Uzcudun	Universidad Publica de Navarra, Spain
Katja Bühler	Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research, Germany
Lars Dietrich	Columbia University, New York.
Karishma Kaushik	IndiaBioscience
Agneta Richter Dahlfors	Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Paola Scavone	Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Uruguay
Sophie Laterme	Flinders University, Australia
Titik Nuryastuti	Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
Mosi Lydia	University of Ghana, Ghana

COVID-19 Mitigation statement for Microbiology Society events

As part of the preparations for Microbiology Society events, the Microbiology Society Council has further discussed the implementation of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 mitigations and has agreed the following:

Personal responsibility:

Attendance at any Microbiology Society event is a personal choice, and Council expects delegates to take personal responsibility for their actions to minimise the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

Ventilation:

The Microbiology Society will continue to work with venues to seek assurance that these are adequately ventilated.

Vaccination and pre-event testing:

We strongly urge all delegates to ensure they are as fully vaccinated as practicable, which we recognise will depend on their age and home country, and to test before travelling to any of our events. Delegates should not attend if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, should they wish to, delegates should feel comfortable wearing a mask in any of our venues.

Mask usage and lateral flow tests:

A limited number of masks (FFP3) and lateral flow tests will be available upon request at all Microbiology Society events should any delegates wish to use them. However, these will not be routinely supplied.

The Microbiology Society Council will continue to monitor the situation and update these mitigations as required.

Further information will be announced in the build up to the meeting on our social media channels. Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MicrobioSoc using the hashtag #Biofilms11. We will also be sharing stories on our Instagram profile @MicrobioSoc throughout the event.

Registration

Registration for Biofilms 11 – Interdisciplinary Momentum: Accelerating Biofilm Research and Innovation Across Boundaries is now open.

Microbiology Society members get heavily subsidised registration fees for Annual Conference and other Society events, both online and in person. Join now to enjoy these discounts and many other opportunities that are designed for microbiologists at all stages of their career.

All speakers and poster presenters will be attending in person.

Early bird discounted prices are now closed.

Membership type	Early bird price	Full price
Microbiology Society Full member – for those with an academic or professional interest in microbiology.	£609.00	£709.00
Microbiology Society Concessionary member – for those with an academic or professional interest in microbiology earning less than £35,000 (or equivalent) per year.	£349.00	£449.00
Microbiology Society Student member - for those registered for a higher degree / studying at undergraduate level.	£159.00	£249.00
Non-Member	£959.00	£1,049.00

If you have any problems or queries with your transaction, please contact the Conferences team at conferences@microbiologysociety.org

What's included in your registration fee?

Admission to all scientific sessions
Lunch and Tea and coffee breaks
Conference dinner
Certificate of attendance (available after the conference upon request)

Registration confirmation

Upon registration, you should receive an automated confirmation email. Please contact  conferences@microbiologysociety.org if after 24 hours this has not been received.

Payment information

All registration fees must be paid in full BEFORE arrival at the conference. Any outstanding registration fees must be paid before admittance will be granted to the conference.

Cancellations

Refunds are not provided, however, substitutions of attendees can be made at any time before the event by contacting conferences@microbiologysociety.org.

Biofilms 11

International Scientific Committee:

Registration and Networking

Welcome from Professor Jas Pal Badyal FRS, Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales

The structure and function of extracellular nucleic acids in biofilms

Offered Talk: Metabolic crosstalk drives physiological differentiation in Pseudomonas aggregates and biofilms

Persistence of mcr resistance following long-term absence of colistin selection in a biofilm environment

Break

Celebrating Diversity Session sponsored by NBIC

Flash talk: Fragmented but Functional: Post-Dispersion Dynamics and Phenotypic Variation in Biofilm-Associated Cells

Poster Session 1, refreshments and coffee

The interplay between phage, phage resistance and microbial community dynamics

Offered Talk: Transfer and persistence of plasmids in biofilm

Community composition and complexity drive Salmonella survival and adaptation under stress in mixed-species biofilms

A new mechanism for outer membrane vesicle production in Porphyromonas gingivalis

Welcome reception

Effects of Antimicrobial Compounds in a Complex Biofilm Sink Drain Model

Offered Talk: Combined Nutrient Limitation and Biocide Strategy for Biofilm Prevention in a Water System in Space

Temperature and pH stimuli-responsive system delivers location-specific antimicrobial activity with natural products

Metallic Defence: Tackling the Biofilm Challenge

Coffee and Networking

Probing biofilm resilience with microfluidics: How do they withstand mechanical and chemical insults?

Offered Talk: From Architecture to Complex Infections: How Multi-Modal Cross-Scale Imaging Changes How We View Biofilms

Studying gastric microbiota with nucleic acid mimics-fluorescence in situ hybridization (NAMs-FISH) combined with spectral imaging

Rapid Detection of Central Line Related Biofilms by Infrared Spectroscopy

Flash Talk: Can nanoparticles be a useful tool for treating or preventing bacterial biofilms?

Lunch and Poster Session 2

Cyclic-di-GMP signaling as a target for biofilm control

Offered Talk: Investigating strategies to manage biofilms formed by the emergent pathogen Candida auris in Scotland

Investigating strategies to manage biofilms formed by the emergent pathogen Candida auris in Scotland

Reduced efficacy of efflux pump inhibitors as adjuvant therapy in polymicrobial biofilms

Organisers

Break

Coffee and Networking

Targeting the ECM to gain control of microbial communities

Offered Talk: Building and Quantifying Synthetic Biofilm

ECO-COATING: Harnessing Marine Bacteria for Biofilm Engineering

Developing an antimicrobial release system using nanoclay gels to treat osteomyelitis

Flash Talk: Exploiting microbial interactions for safer food

Close

Individual leaf microbiota tunes a genetic regulatory network to promote leaf growth

Offered Talk: Close encounters on a micro scale: Interactions of microplastic biofilms in aquatic ecosystems and their effects on associated biofilm communities

Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates can encode functional plastic-degrading enzymes that allow survival on plastic and augment biofilm formation

epsSMASH predicts exopolysaccharides in environmental and human microbial communities

Coffee and Networking

Bioprotection of stone heritage by biofilms

Offered Talk: Biofilm structure responds differently to Legionella colonization under varying hydrodynamics'

Invited Talk: TBC

Invited Talk: TBC

Offered Talk: Silent Reservoirs: Understanding the Persistence of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus in Dry Surface Biofilms

Flash presentations – Exhibitors session

Lunch and Poster Session 3

Organisers

Defining Dry Surface Biofilms: A 1-Hour Roundtable Discussion

Flash Talk: Biofilm Alliance – A Regulatory Science Network

Death, taxes, biofilms and corrosion

Offered Talk: Creating pathways to drive biofilm innovation: Building consensus on biofilm regulatory decision making

Cosmic Quorums: Driving Biofilm Breakthrough using Space Biology Open Science

Impact of Residual Chlorine Concentration on Drinking Water Biofilms Including Coliform Incorporation and Mobilisation

Coffee and Networking

The development of novel supramolecular antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents

Offered Talk: Beyond the Matrix: Rethinking Antibiotic Tolerance in CF Biofilms Using 3D Models

The Aggregate Advantage: Genetic and Biophysical Drivers of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance

Concluding remarks

Close

Conference Dinner - National Museum Cardiff

Registration and Networking

Welcome from Professor Jas Pal Badyal FRS, Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales

The structure and function of extracellular nucleic acids in biofilms

Offered Talk: Metabolic crosstalk drives physiological differentiation in Pseudomonas aggregates and biofilms

Persistence of mcr resistance following long-term absence of colistin selection in a biofilm environment

Break

Celebrating Diversity Session sponsored by NBIC

Flash talk: Fragmented but Functional: Post-Dispersion Dynamics and Phenotypic Variation in Biofilm-Associated Cells

Poster Session 1, refreshments and coffee

The interplay between phage, phage resistance and microbial community dynamics

Offered Talk: Transfer and persistence of plasmids in biofilm

Community composition and complexity drive Salmonella survival and adaptation under stress in mixed-species biofilms

A new mechanism for outer membrane vesicle production in Porphyromonas gingivalis

Welcome reception