SURFBIO Winter School 2023

“Exploring microbial cell-surface and cell colloid interactions: advanced analytical methods”

Last 10th November the SURFBIO Winter School 2023 was held at the Jozef Stefan Institute (Slovenia).

This successful training equipped participants with the knowledge and tools to push the boundaries of microbial research. As we continue to unravel the secrets of the microbial world, the impact of this training promises to resonate across diverse fields, from healthcare to environmental science.

Congratulations to the organisers, speakers and participants! 🙌 Together, we’re advancing the frontiers of microbiology. Exciting times ahead! 🌟🔬

Lectures:

Advanced Strategies for Isolating Bacteria and Microbial Consortia Using Microfluidics, Aggregation and Encapsulation

By Dr. Ales Lapanje (Jozef Stefan Institute), Innovation Hub for Surface and Colloid Biology, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Microbial communities in natural environments exhibit intricate interactions among individual organisms. These interactions encompass various ecological relationships, such as metabolic exchanges (cross-feeding), interspecies dynamics (competition, predation, collaboration, symbiosis), and niche diversification, which enables the coexistence of different strains or species. The successful cultivation of individual cells or consortia with specific properties depends on several critical factors: (i) the isolation of strains from competitors and fast-growing counterparts, (ii) maintaining spatial organisation among strains, (iii) establishing beneficial interactions, and (iv) providing microenvironmental conditions that facilitate niche differentiation. Unfortunately, conventional microbiological techniques often fall short of meeting these criteria, resulting in a limited fraction of culturable bacteria.

In response to these challenges, we present a methodological framework that combines principles of colloid particle physics with microfluidics and microbiology. This approach enables the formation of unique microconsortia primed for diverse applications, particularly in bioremediation and mixed culture fermentations. The process involves several crucial steps: (i) characterising the physical properties of the sample to inform strategies for random aggregation, (ii) extracting cells from the samples, (iii) controlling the size of aggregates during random aggregation, (iv) cultivating microcontainers, and (v) selecting consortia or strains that exhibit specific advantageous traits.

By participating in this course, you will gain a deeper understanding of the isolation of microorganisms and acquire the foundational knowledge required to apply colloid biology techniques in microbiology. This educational opportunity offers a comprehensive exploration of microbial community dynamics, shedding light on their complex interactions and real-world applications.

Advanced Strategies for Isolating Bacteria and Microbial Consortia Using Microfluidics, Aggregation and Encapsulation

By Dr. Carlos Rumbo Lorenzo, International Research Center in Critical Raw Materials for Advanced Industrial Technologies Universidad de Burgos, Burgos, Spain.

Biofilms are associations of microorganisms embedded in a complex self-produced matrix of different molecules (proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides), which provides a particular environment that protects microbes against environmental stress factors.

Biofilms can be found attached to both biotic and abiotic surfaces, and these structures present a critical role in many positive and negative aspects of human life. For example, biofilms are applied in several technologies, including bioremediation of groundwater and soils or wastewater treatment. On the other hand, in the biomedical field, biofilms are associated with several hospital-acquired infections, as well as being involved in the contamination of medical devices.

Considering the high impact of biofilms for humans and the environment, understanding the different processes associated to them is a priority for the scientific community. In the present lecture, several general aspects regarding biofilms and their relevance are presented, as well as different methodologies to study the toxicity in these structures.

Probing biocolloids with precision: insights from Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy

By Dr. Andre Skirtach, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

In today’s scientific landscape, unravelling the complexities of biocolloids has emerged as a pressing global issue, particularly concerning their stability and utility in biotechnology and pharmaceutical applications. Thankfully, the synergy between Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Raman Spectroscopy presents an elegant solution, enabling scientists to investigate biocolloids with exceptional precision and gain valuable insights into their makeup and behaviour. Raman spectroscopy will be unveiled as a powerful tool for deciphering the chemical composition of biocolloids in their natural state without additional treatments, enabling us to uncover the molecular secrets within these complex systems. Simultaneously, AFM will help us to visualise and quantify the physical characteristics of biocolloids, unravelling their topography, hardness, elasticity, and adhesive forces. Through this lecture, students will acquire a comprehensive grasp of the synergistic insights offered by Raman and AFM, thereby illuminating potential applications in fields such as biotechnology, drug delivery, and materials science.

Study of the environmental fate of nanoparticles in organisms using radiotracing

By Dr. Stefan Schymura, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology, Research Site Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.

Manufactured nanoparticles, such as CeO₂, give rise to novel risks when released into the environment. To assess these risks, it is important to quantify the nanoparticle mass flows, as well as their speciation and the mechanisms of their transformation. The method of Radiotracing allows for facile, sensitive and selective detection of nanoparticles. The design and execution of a radiotracing study are shown for the example of CeO₂ uptake by water organisms. Using an innovative dual-radiolabelling strategy for CeO₂ nanoparticles uptake, transformation and excretion of CeO₂ nanoparticles in freshwater shrimp is tracked. The opportunities and challenges in conducting a radiotracing study are shown and discussed.  

Dental bio-interface restoration using Ca-caseinate bio/nano colloids: a converged roughness parameter analysis via interferometric microscopy

By Dr. Stefan Schymura, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology, Research Site Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.

Chemical erosion processes can potentially demineralise the dental tooth surface, leading to permanent dental hard tissue loss, an increasing problem in modern society due to trends in acidic food consumption. This erosion can be treated using the bio/nano-colloid Ca-caseinate. The study illustrates the use of converged roughness parameters gained from interferometric microscopy to analyse the development of a reacting surface.