Free and open to the general public
Biofilms are structured communities of microorganisms, such as bacteria, that attach to surfaces and produce a protective matrix made of sugars, proteins, and other substances. This matrix helps the microbes stick together and shields them from environmental threats like antibiotics or the immune system. Biofilms can form on natural surfaces like rocks in streams, as well as on man-made materials such as medical devices, pipes, and teeth. They play important roles in both health and industry—sometimes beneficial, but often problematic due to their resistance to treatment and cleaning.
As part of its 2025 annual symposium the ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation will be holding a public plenary session with two exciting, invited speakers to discuss some of the major challenges caused by biofilms.
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Plenary 1 : “Microbial Biofilms: Complex Communities Driving Discovery and Innovation”
Prof. Jeremy S. Webb (University of Southampton, UK)
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Plenary 2 : “Four Key Mechanisms Underpinning Biofilm Antimicrobial Resistance”
Dr. Yue Qu (Alfred Hospital, Monash University)
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Plenary Talk #1 : Microbial Biofilms: Complex Communities Driving Discovery and Innovation
Prof. Jeremy S. Webb (University of Southampton, UK)
Most microbes don’t live alone as solitary cells — they build complex, structured communities called biofilms that impact our world in ways we are only beginning to understand and harness. Biofilms are central to major global challenges — from antibiotic resistance and food and water security to their role in the Earth’s climate system. Their economic impact is striking: Across diverse sectors, the effects of biofilms — whether beneficial or detrimental — are valued at £45 billion in the UK and in excess of ~$5 trillion worldwide. From the plaque on your teeth to the slime on river rocks, biofilms are ubiquitous and profoundly affect health, industry and the environment.
This talk will describe the current state of knowledge — and the gaps that remain — about biofilms: how they initiate, develop, evolve, disperse, and withstand environmental stresses, including antimicrobials and immune attack. Drawing on our work at the National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC), I will show how we are bringing together scientists and industry, combining interdisciplinary discovery science with real-world applications to drive a growing biofilm economy.
Plenary Talk #2 : Four Key Mechanisms Underpinning Biofilm Antimicrobial Resistance
Dr. Yue Qu (Alfred Hospital, Monash University)
This talk aims to help the audiences to understand the contributions of multiple mechanisms to biofilm antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as a part of a whole, and to elucidate key hurdles hindering effective biofilm treatment by antimicrobial agents.
Our in vitro studies systematically examined multiple mechanisms contributing to biofilm AMR, both as independent factors and as integrated processes. Four mechanisms, including low-metabolism of biofilm-embedded cells, penetration barriers, acidic inner-biofilm pHs, and inoculum effects associated with high-density growth mode of biofilms were all critical for biofilm AMR. The aforementioned mechanisms must be simultaneously targeted to achieve effective biofilm killing. The importance of individual mechanisms to biofilm AMR were quantitatively assessed and compared. Low metabolic states of biofilm cells play the central role and biofilm penetration barriers and other mechanisms are less important in biofilm AMR.
We also outline detailed methodologies to facilitate assessment of new drug candidates by microbiologists and chemical engineers, focusing on their efficacy against both isolated and combined biofilm AMR mechanisms.
Speaker Biographies:
Prof. Jeremy S. Webb (University of Southampton, UK)
Jeremy S. Webb is Professor of Microbiology at the University of Southampton, UK, and is Co-Founder and Co-Director for the UK’s National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC). NBIC is a multi-institutional and interdisciplinary centre led by the Universities of Southampton, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Nottingham.
Jeremy’s research focuses on the adaptive biology, antimicrobial resistance, evolution, and molecular genetics of biofilms and polymicrobial communities. His expertise includes regulation and control of biofilm development and dispersal, biofilm–bacteriophage interactions, and genomic diversification within biofilms. Jeremy’s work is highly interdisciplinary, for example bridging microbiology with photonics and computational approaches to develop biofilm diagnostics, and advancing engineering solutions to address biocorrosion. His research into biofilm dispersal led to the first human clinical trial of a biofilm-targeted therapeutic.
Dr. Yue Qu (Alfred Hospital, Monash University)
Dr. Yue Qu is a medical microbiologist specializing in clinical biofilms and medical device-related infections. He is a senior research fellow at the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Alfred Hospital and the Department of Microbiology at Monash University. He received a MBBS from Wenzhou Medical University (WMU, China, 2000), a PhD in clinical microbiology at RMIT University (2010) and an Australian Research Council (ARC) Super Science Fellowship at Monash University (2011-2015). As a rare example of fundamental researchers who are equipped with medical knowledge and experience, Dr. Qu has contributed significantly to clinical biofilm research, from disease pathogenesis to prevention and treatment strategies. Over the last five years, he received more than A$ 3.5 M research and equipment funding from various agencies for his translational research. He co-founded and leads the Monash Clinical Biofilm Special Interest Group. He is a team leader of the MRFF Artificial Heart Frontier Program (AHFP, 2024-2029), co-leading the driveline infection control project.
Qu’s research has a broad coverage of microbial pathogens, including Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and mixed microorganisms, and various disease models, including catheter-related bloodstream infections, vaginal candidiasis, and ventricular assist device driveline infections. He is an organizing committee member of Asia-Pacific Biofilms Conference (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024) and an associated editor for Frontiers in Microbiology. He was elected as the fellow of Australian Society for Microbiology (FASM) in 2023 and is the Director of Operations for the Monash-WMU Alliance in Clinical and Experimental Biomedicine. Dr. Qu is the recipient of the prestigious ASM Frank Fenner Award 2025.
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