Insights and Updates on Biofilm Research
Welcome to the Insight Blog, your source for the latest insights and updates on biofilm research. Discover expert articles, community stories, and discussions on the advancements and innovations in biofilms. Stay informed and engaged with the cutting-edge developments shaping the biofilm research community.
The Impacts of Biofilms on Our Oral Health
Whilst oral health is crucial for maintaining our physical and mental well-being, many people around the world suffer with poor oral health. Oral diseases are some of the most common non-transmissible illnesses globally, estimated to affect 3.5 billion people [1]. To...
The Burden of Biofilms in the Food Industry
Despite efforts to tackle pathogens within the food industry, foodborne illnesses still present a major problem globally. Attributable for 420,000 deaths annually, foodborne diseases pose a significant threat to human health [1]. They also present a substantial...
Battling Biofilms in the Energy Sector
Energy is an essential part of our daily lives, responsible for powering our homes, fuelling our cars and lighting our streets. It is the second largest sector globally, accounting for 8-10% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) [1]. Energy can be obtained from...
Applying Biofilm Engineering Approaches to Industrial and Biotechnological Challenges
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has published its report on engineering biology, entitled, ‘Don’t fail to scale: seizing the opportunity of engineering biology’. The report is calling on the government to take far greater risks to boost UK...
Biofilms in Policy: Wastewater
Water is an essential resource for all life on Earth. The average person in Britain uses 142 litres of water a day(1); equivalent to over 470 mugs of tea. In the UK, water is a devolved matter. Throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland, the water industry is publicly...
Biofilms in Policy: Climate Change
Climate change poses a serious threat to humanity. 2023 was the hottest year on record, with the global mean surface temperature being 1.45°C warmer than pre-industrial (ca before 1750) levels(1). The UK is committed to tackling this issue, by setting a target to...
Breaking AMR Myths
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to pose a serious threat to public health, predicted to cause 10 million deaths per year by 2050(1). Whilst AMR is starting to receive more attention there are still many misconceptions shared by individuals on AMR and...
Biofilm Create! 2024 Competition: Meet the Judges
Our Biofilm Create! competition was launched in 2021, as part of our #BiofilmAware campaign, which works to raise awareness of NBIC and its research, and the many societal and economic impacts of biofilms. This Biofilm Week, we're taking the opportunity to introduce...
Skin Microbiome in Healthy Ageing (SMiHA) Network
As a stakeholder in Skin Microbiome in Healthy Ageing (SMiHA) network, NBIC take a keen interest to support and engage in this new ‘science of the skin microbiome in ageing’ initiative. SMIHA recently launched in February 2022, as a Biotechnology and Biological...
Baby Skin and the Microbiome: Common Myths
There are many misconceptions about baby skin and the microbiome. Our partners at Cosmetics Cluster UK (CCUK) have put together a number of common myths to address if they are in fact true or false! Myth #1: The newborn skin microbiome starts out the same in all...
Biofilm Outreach: A Sneak Peek Into Past Funded Projects
We recently launched our last call for applications to our Public Engagement and Outreach Grant under our current NBIC financial round, which finishes at the end of 2022. We look forward to receiving your applications! As this is the last round, we wanted to give you...
A Diverse Mosaic: The Facial Skin Microbiome
Personal care impacts skin health and quality of life, an invaluable asset still often undervalued. Understanding the intricacies of skin microbiome has become a challenge for the scientific community driven by consumers’ increasing demand for microbiome friendly...