Bacterial Biofilms: From Regulation to Strategies to Study and Fight Them

Dear Colleagues,

The irresponsible use of antibiotics is triggering the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacterial strains. Currently, at least 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases. It is recognized that bacterial biofilms are responsible for most of the microbial infections that occur in the human body, including catheter infections, eye infections and the formation of dental plaque. Biofilm-related infections are particularly difficult to treat since microbial cells in biofilms exhibit increased resistance levels to antibiotics—up to 1000-fold higher than planktonic (free-floating) cells. Bacterial biofilms are defined as complex aggregates of bacteria that grow attached to surfaces or associated with interfaces and are embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix made of polysaccharides, nucleic acids and proteins. In the last few decades, few novel compounds that can overcome the resistance to antimicrobial agents associated with biofilm infection were developed. As a result, one of the major challenges in current biomedical research is the search for novel and effective antimicrobial strategies that can treat infections caused by bacterial biofilms, and for that it is essential to understand the regulatory mechanisms that lead to the formation of biofilms.

This Special Issue will focus on strategies that can help identify, prevent and remove bacterial biofilms. Additionally, it will focus on the regulation of biofilms as increasing knowledge in this area can be particularly helpful to the development of future therapeutics. This Special Issue welcomes different submission types, such as original research papers, short communications, reviews, case reports and perspectives.

Dr. Sandra Pinto
Dr. Vânia Pobre
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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