SEACOAT
16 interdisciplinary research projects to understand biointerfacial processes involved in marine fouling.
Project leader
Professor Tony Clare
Dates
March 2010 to February 2014
Project staff
Dr Regina Gabilondo Toscano
Alessio Di Fino
Sponsors
European Commission Framework Program 7
Description
SEACOAT is an EC-funded Marie-Curie Training Network.
It brings together leading scientists from across Europe. Their goal is to understand interfacial processes involved in marine biofouling.
The network consists of 6 Universities and 2 companies from across Europe.
SEACOAT’s 16 interdisciplinary research projects are based on 3 complementary themes.
All training fellows will experience aspects of the three themes. This is through their research projects and the Advanced Training Courses
Our vision
The main research goal of SEACOAT is to improve understanding of biointerfacial processes involved in the colonisation of surfaces by marine fouling organisms.
This enhanced understanding will inform the future development of new, environmentally-benign materials and coatings. These are for the practical control of marine biofouling.
Principle objective
Discover which nano- and micro-scale physico-chemical properties of surfaces influence the adhesion of fouling organisms.
Done through the use of surface engineering technologies to fabricate coatings. The coatings vary systematically in relevant surface properties, and length scales.
We will use advanced surface analytical methods. These will characterise test surfaces for relevant physico-chemical surface properties. It will also characterise how these change after immersion.
The research involves adhesion bioassays using a range of representative marine organisms such as:
- Barnacles
- Algae
- Bacteria
We will test intrinsic antifouling properties of surfaces.
The project uses advanced imaging techniques such as digital holography. These techniques allow us to study how the behaviour of fouling organisms is affected by coating properties.