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Patterned Biofilm Formation To Investigate Bacteria-Surface Interactions, Huan Gu

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Bacterial adhesion to surfaces and subsequent formation of microcolonies play important roles in biofilm formation, which is a major cause of chronic infections and persistent biofouling. Despite the significance, mechanistic understanding of biofilm formation is still hindered by the structural heterogeneity in biofilms; and effective control of biofilm formation remains challenging. Biofilm formation is a dynamic process that involves numerous changes in bacterial gene and protein expression. These changes are highly sensitive to environmental factors such as surface chemistry, topography, charge, and hydrophobicity. To better control biofilm morphology and specifically investigate the effects of these factors, a platform was developed …