77th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (November 24, 2024 — November 26, 2024)

P2642945: Dynamics of Bacterial Migration and Biofilm Formation in Hydrogel.

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Authors

• Richa Karmakar, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
• Anwita Sarkar, Indian Institute of Technology Madras
• Subhrojyoti Ghosh, Indian Institute of Technology Madras

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/APS.DFD.2024.GFM.P2642945

Bacteria use several strategies to colonize the human body, one of which is adhering to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins like collagen, fibronectin, and plasminogen. Hydrogels, composed of crosslinked polymer chains forming a three-dimensional network, have a high fluid-absorbing capacity. These materials are soft, porous, and water-rich, resembling living tissues.In this study, we demonstrate bacterial dynamics and migration into the hydrogel, mimicking the processes of bacterial migration and colonization that lead to biofilm formation.