Biofilms@IJS Symposium Brings Together Interdisciplinary Biofilm Research Community
- Post by: Jure Pohleven
- 7.April, 2026
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The first Biofilms@IJS symposium was held on April 2, 2026, at the Jožef Stefan Institute, bringing together researchers working on various aspects of microbial biofilms. The event highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and addressing biofilms, which are complex microbial communities with both harmful and beneficial roles in natural and engineered environments.
The symposium opened with a lecture by prof. Stefano Fazi, who presented the ecological role of biofilms in aquatic environments. His lecture demonstrated how microbial communities contribute to biomineral formation and carbon capture processes, offering valuable insights into the environmental significance and biogeochemical potential of biofilms. The program also addressed biofilms in the context of antimicrobial resistance, infection persistence, and food safety. Participants learned about the mechanisms that make biofilms difficult to eradicate, as well as emerging strategies to prevent or remove them. Several presentations focused on the use of advanced materials and nanotechnologies to inhibit biofilm formation or enhance biofilm disruption. Other talks demonstrated how synthetic biofilms can be designed for specific purposes and how new imaging, computational, and analytical tools are enabling researchers to study biofilm structure and properties in greater detail.
The symposium provided an excellent opportunity for researchers from different disciplines to exchange ideas, identify common challenges, and explore possibilities for future collaboration.
The strong interest and positive response from participants confirmed the value of creating a dedicated interdisciplinary platform for biofilm research. The organizers and participants agreed that Biofilms@IJS should become a regular event.
The book of abstracts of the presented lectures is available here: Book of abstracts