Microbial Biofilms Lab (LABIM)

The Laboratory of Microbial Biofilms (LABIM) studies nosocomial infections caused by microorganisms able to grow as biofilm. Biofilms are heterogeneous microbial communities, consisting of microcolonies of bacterial or fungal cells, often belonging to different species. They develop immersed in a self-produced extracellular matrix mainly constituted by polysaccharides, giving rise to complex three-dimensional structures.

Biofilms can grow both on inert surfaces (e.g. those of medical devices, biomedical instruments and hospital furniture) and on biotic surfaces (e.g. mucous membranes, surgical wounds, pressure ulcers). The surfaces of medical devices more frequently implanted into the body (e.g. vascular and urinary catheters, orthopedic prostheses and nasogastric tubes) are particularly exposed to the colonization of different microbial species, depending on the body area and the mode of implant.

A deeper knowledge of microbial biofilm development and its ability to resist antimicrobial treatment allows to better evaluate the associated health risks and to implement more appropriate clinical care strategies to prevent hospital infections.