Date/Time: 17th of April 2018, 13:00-14:00

Venue: CBCB Baddiley-Clark Building, large meeting room level 2

Abstract

Biofilms are the predominant habitat for the majority of microbial cells on Earth. To understand how biofilms form and how they function, it is necessary to unpick the mechanisms underlying different stages in the biofilm lifecycle. This talk will consider the mechanisms by which bacteria attach to surfaces, form single- or multi-species aggregates, function as microbial consortia and disperse to colonise new environments. Examples will focus on dental plaque, a biofilm that forms on the surfaces of teeth and is responsible for two of the most prevalent diseases of humans worldwide, dental caries and periodontitis.

Bio

Nick Jakubovics is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Dental Sciences. He has been working in the area of microbial biofilms since undertaking a PhD in drinking water distribution biofilms at Warwick University in the mid-1990s. He moved into the field of oral microbiology in his first Post-Doc at the University of Bristol. His work has explored the molecular mechanisms underpinning oral bacterial adhesion and cell-cell interactions. The current focus of his laboratory is polymicrobial interactions including aggregation, cell-cell communication and gene regulation. The goal is to translate new understanding in this area to the development of tools and technologies for biofilm manipulation or control.