The National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) is pleased to announce the launch of their biofilm awareness campaign, #BiofilmAware, which will run over the next 12 months.
Biofilms are well known to a number of research and development disciplines, but not to the general public. What they are, how they are formed and how they impact our world, generally is still a mystery to those outside the scientific community. Through a blend of content, events and outreach activities #BiofilmAware will work to raise awareness of NBIC and its research, and the many societal and economic impacts of biofilms. A highlight of the campaign will be the introduction of the UK’s first #BiofilmWeek, to be held in July 2021 to coincide with an NBIC event.
Microbial biofilm research is a feature of many scientific disciplines across the University of Southampton, one of the four lead research institutions of the centre. Southampton boasts the largest grouping of biofilm academics in the UK and is unique in its ability to consider biofilms in an integrated way across a range of research areas. These include biological sciences, medicine, chemistry, computational modelling, engineering and ocean science creating impact across diverse fields of application, from medicine to industry to the environment.
The Innovation Knowledge Centre funded by the BBSRC, Innovate UK and the Hartree Centre, is the UK’s hub for accessing biofilm expertise, capability, science and innovation, and connects biofilm specialists across the UK, providing a mechanism for industrial partners to explore their unmet needs with researchers to achieve breakthrough innovation. The centre also supports the development of technologies to prevent, detect, manage and engineer biofilms through translational Proof of Concept funding.
Dr Mark Richardson, NBIC CEO said: “A key part of NBIC’s role is Public Engagement and Outreach. At a time when each one of us has become acutely aware of the fragility of our relationship with the natural world, then as well as progressing the delivery of innovations, this is a vital activity for us to undertake. This campaign is geared to communicate the impact of biofilms to society and the general public. It will help us to understand public concerns and allow us to communicate the importance of controlling and exploiting microbial communities”.
A range of digital campaign resources are available on the NBIC website via the #BiofilmAware hub to download and for sharing. The hub will be updated over the duration of the campaign with new and exciting content for you to share on a regular basis.
Please get in touch with Natasha Nater, NBIC’s Communications Manager, for further information.
