This CAREER award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to Montana State University, Bozeman is to fund the study of bacterial biofilm deformation in response to applied physical forces. Most bacteria do not exist as free swimming individuals, but instead on surfaces in soft, gel-like communities called biofilms. These films are implicated in a tremendous number of health and industrial problems such as hip implant infections and oil pipeline deterioration, but they also play beneficial roles in sewage treatment and agricultural plant protection. For both beneficial and problematic biofilms, knowledge of their mechanical response to physical forces is critically important, yet greatly lacking. This proposal aims to address this knowledge gap by using micromechanical measurements to develop a fundamental, materials-based understanding of biofilm mechanics. These studies could lead to new materials-based strategies for biofilm removal, which are sorely needed. This proposal also aims to integrate soft materials science and biofilm science with food science, and to develop educational food science modules to attract students from rural communities in Montana and other sparsely populated states into STEM fields. Integrating microbial materials research from nearby Yellowstone National Park will provide the proposed work with international exposure.
Technical The principal research objective of this proposal is to apply micromechanical measurement tools to explore the structure, mechanics and dynamics of bacterial biofilms containing the widespread amyloid fiber and polysaccharide structural motif. Following a reductionist approach, teh project team will first measure interaction forces between individual components of the extracellular matrix, then explore the mechanics of reconstituted networks of matrix components using rheometry and shear cell microscopy, and finally map biofilm mechanics with active and thermally-driven microrheology. Knowledge gained from these measurements will provide insight into the role of mechanics in biofilm physiology and inform new strategies for biofilm removal. The principal educational objective of this proposal is to integrate soft materials science and biofilm science with food science, to attract students from rural communities into STEM fields. The project will begin by developing a science and cooking day camp for Montana youth, integrating soft materials science with local foods, fermented foods containing microbial biofilms and traditional Native American foods. The curriculum developed in the day camp will then be incorporated into educational modules to be distributed to rural communities in Montana.
