Mathematical Modeling of Pseudomonas stutzeri Biofilm Growth and Inhibition

The focus of the research is to mathematically model the growth of bacteria as a biofilm. Biofilms are a community of microorganisms that adhere to each other and to a moist surface. This is in contrast to planktonic growth where bacteria grow as individual organisms.  There are many different factors that influence the biofilm mode of growth.  Bacteria under stressful conditions generally form biofilms more readily.  In addition, a moist surface and a critical number of bacteria are necessary for biofilm formation.  The biofilm mode of living offers bacteria many advantages such as, increased resistance to antibiotics additional evasion strategies from the host immune system responses and higher resistance to nature’s insults. In this project, Pseudomonas stutzeri bacteria are being used to mathematically model bacterial growth as a biofilm.  Whereas planktonic growth has been extensively studied, biofilm growth has not. We have determined the growth curve of the biofilm to be quite different from the plantonic growth curve, and have proposed a mathematical model. Inhibition studies of the biofilms are being conducted using garlic extracts and other purportedly natural inhibitors to determine potential anti microbial effects.   The mathematical models being proposed could potentially be used to determine when it would be most effective to use an antimicrobial.