Dr. Catherine Kirkland breaks down the role of biofilms and granular sludge in wastewater treatment

Al Cunningham is truly a founding father of biofilm research. He was part of the research group that in 1990 founded what would become the world's first, largest, and best-known biofilm research center at Montana State University. He may have "emeritus" in his title nowadays. But make no mistake, he's as busy as any of his colleagues in the CBE's labs. Today, he talks about the origins of the CBE, how the center nearly collapsed upon the death of its founder, and the current state of biofilm research from his place at its leading edge.

Today, we’re talking with Dr. Heidi Smith, who runs one of the most powerful microscopy facilities in the Pacific Northwest. Heidi took on the task of managing the Bio-Imaging Facility at the Center for Biofilm Engineering in 2018. And one of her first orders of business was to undertake an ambitious plan to upgrade the microscopy hardware. She landed more than $1.5 million in grants, which enabled the purchase of research-expanding equipment that can peer deeper into biofilms than ever before, Importantly, by some standards, the new hardware will exceed the lab’s current capabilities eightfold.

Today we’re talking with Dr. Dana Skorupa, whose research interests at the Center for Biofilm Engineering at Montana State University, include thermophiles, which are microbes that thrive in extreme environments such as the ever hot and caustic waters of Yellowstone National Park’s Geothermal Geyser Basins. We’ll also focus on Dana’s work getting young scientists involved with hands-on research. She regularly takes undergraduate researchers into Yellowstone to bioprospect for these thermophiles – specifically those that are capable of degrading plastics.

Today we’re talking with Dr. Garth James, who oversees the Medical Biofilms Lab at the Center for Biofilm Engineering at Montana State University. Today, we’ll talk with Garth about the devastating role biofilms play in some chronic wounds, as well as hospital acquired infections.

Today, we’re talking with Dr. Darla Goeres, whose research interests at the Center for Biofilm Engineering at Montana State University include

• standardized biofilm methods development

• biological reactor design

• the evaluation of biofilms in the built environment

• efficacy testing of potential anti-biofilm treatments

Darla, who until recently chaired the ASTM E35 committee (Pesticides, antimicrobials, and alternative control agents), notes that the majority of the leadership positions within the subcommittees and main committee are filled by women. This is a proud achievement whose origin she explains. We also get into her view on the importance of standard methods, the ASTM process, and the role biofilms play in skunky smelling, funky tasting draft beer.

Dr. Erika Espinosa-Ortiz's research interests at the Center for Biofilm Engineering at Montana State University include

• fungal-based technologies for water and soil remediation

• biodeterioration of building materials due to multi-domain biofilm formation

• biomineralization processes applied to the medical field, such as the formation of kidney stones induced by urinary tract infections).

In this podcast, we’ll speak with Erika about why the National Science Foundation is interested in making building materials out of fungi, why NASA is eying fungi to aid in long-term space travel, and how biofilms are damaging some of the United States’ most-treasured monuments.

The Center for Biofilm Engineering at Montana State University's podcast will debut Monday, April 4, with subsequent episodes following on alternating Mondays. Click the "subscribe" button!