Biofilm Alliance Forum Workshop Report
As part of the Biofilm Alliance, along with Manchester Metropolitan University, Swansea University and Industrial Microbiological Services Limited, we organised the Biofilm Alliance Forum, which took place at Manchester Metropolitan University in July 2025.
Executive Summary
The forum brought together representatives from academia, industry, regulators, and standards organisations to discuss current practices, challenges, and opportunities in biofilm management and regulation across UK industry sectors.
Participants agreed that biofilms remain a widespread but insufficiently addressed issue affecting food production, water systems, industrial processes, and the built environment. Biofilms contribute to contamination, corrosion, and system inefficiencies, posing risks to public health and infrastructure. Yet, despite their impact, the UK lacks a coherent regulatory or methodological framework to manage them effectively.
Discussions revealed that testing and control methods vary greatly across industries, with many relying on modified microbiological assays that fail to reflect real-world biofilm conditions. The absence of harmonised standards and clear regulatory guidance creates major uncertainty for manufacturers, laboratories, and end-users. Post-Brexit regulatory divergence has added complexity, particularly for companies operating across both UK and EU markets.
Participants emphasised the urgent need for clearer, evidence-based and sector-specific guidelines on biofilm control and product efficacy testing. Stronger collaboration between regulators, academia, and industry was seen as essential to establish consistent methodologies, support innovation, and enable safe, effective antibiofilm technologies to reach the market.
The workshop also highlighted the need for of awareness raising and training among various groups of stakeholders, about biofilm behaviour, resilience, and risks. Delegates called for targeted education and capacity-building programmes to integrate biofilm understanding into system design, operation, and maintenance practices.
Cross-sector discussions underscored the value of collaboration and knowledge exchange. Participants also noted growing opportunities in novel diagnostics, antimicrobial coatings, phage-based solutions, and AI-driven data analysis, provided these are supported by validation and regulatory clarity.
The forum identified key priorities, including:
- Development of standardised, sector-specific biofilm testing and monitoring methods reflecting real-world conditions.
- Establishment of a central resource of experts, organisations, and shared case studies.
- Development and provision of training and certification programmes for regulators and industry practitioners.
- Building and strengthening cross-sector partnerships to align standards and accelerate innovation.
- Advocating for investment in validation and metrology to support new antibiofilm technologies.
Read the Biofilm Alliance Forum Workshop Report to find out more.
Publication date: 04/02/2026. Authors: The Biofilm Alliance. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5258/biofilms/018