Advanced statistical analysis of twitching bacteria: a physicist's insight in the initial stage of biofilm

• Applicant: Professor Vasily Zaburdaev, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics
• Term: from 2009 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 132893736

The primary objective of this project is to examine the statistical properties of bacterial trajectories on the initial stage of the biofilm formation. A biofilm is a highly organized, complex and dynamical structure formed by microorganisms (bacteria) when they encounter a contact with a surface. About 80% of all microbial infections involve biofilms. From a physical point of view the biofilm is a challenging example of a complex nonequilibrium system of active particles with non-trivial interactions. This work will be performed in the faculty of biological sciences of Columbia University. Trajectories will be analyzed for isolated bacteria as well as for interacting bacteria of controllable densities. By using such powerful techniques as stochastic differential equations and random walk models we shall answer the following questions: do individual bacteria exhibit normal or anomalous diffusion; does this diffusion regime provide an optimal way to find other bacteria; how can one quantify the motility of wild type and mutant bacteria; how does motility change when chemical signaling and the interaction of bacteria come into play. This work should be the first step in the development of a comprehensive physical model for the formation of biofilms.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Hosts: Professor Dr. Michael Sheetz; Professor Dr. David A. Weitz