ADSORB – Antimicrobial discovery and biofilm-on-chip : from model to therapy

More than 80% of human chronic infections are associated with biofilm. Biofilm infections are difficult to treat due to the complexity of the structure and high antibiotic resistance. Moreover, bacteria living in the biofilm exhibit different physiology than in the planktonic phase. It is necessary to identify novel molecules to fight biofilm infections. Traditional biofilm models for antimicrobial screening are limited in their ability to recapitulate human structures and functions. The main goal of the proposed project is to develop a smart and versatile hydrogel-based microfluidic platform for controlled biofilm formation and analysis. Mimicking biofilm biology, this platform will ensure better characterization, analysis of biofilm and easily adapt to diverse pathologies. Finally, the microfluidic platform will be used as a preclinical screening system to validate the anti-biofilm activity of novel drugs.