Bacteria Pattern Spontaneously on Periodic Nanostructure Arrays

Entry by Emily Redston, AP 225, Fall 2011

Work in progress

Reference

Bacteria Pattern Spontaneously on Periodic Nanostructure Array by A. I. Hochbaum, J. Aizenberg. Nano Lett. 10, 3717-3721 (2010)

Introduction

Bacterial biofilms naturally form on many surfaces, usually at the solid-liquid or liquid-air interface. Biofilms are composed of many cells embedded within a polymeric organic matrix. While biofilm formation is a concern for many industries, they are especially harmful in the medical community, where they cause extensive damage by triggering the human immune response. Hospital-acquired, or nosocomial, infections affect roughly 10% of patients in the United States, and are responsible for nearly 100,000 deaths.