(319c) Invited Talk 3: Prospective Technologies Targeting Microbial Biofilm and Its Microenvironment

Biofilm formation is a key factor for a wide range of microorganisms that cause many infections in humans and biofouling in industrial settings. Biofilms are highly structured microbial communities embedded in an extracellular matrix, a multifunctional scaffold that provides adhesion, cohesion and protection to the resident microorganisms. The matrix also provides a diffusion limiting milieu that facilitates the creation of localized chemical and pH microenvironments. These properties contribute to biofilm recalcitrance to mechanical removal and antimicrobial treatment, posing significant challenges for the development of effective antibiofilm therapeutics to control biofilm-associated diseases. This talk will focus on recent approaches developed in our laboratory to disrupt pathogenic biofilms using nano and biotechnology. Using in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo biofilm models with biophysical and super-resolution imaging methods, we have demonstrated how pH-activated nanoparticles or antimicrobials with matrix-degrading activity can target the complex biofilm microenvironment and help prevent biofilm-associated oral diseases. We will also discuss current challenges and future directions for the development of biofilm-targeting therapeutics.