Bacteria have a strong cooperative spirit and quickly form communities, known as biofilms. Biofilms can be found on ocean pipes, plant roots, people's teeth, hotel handrails– no surface is safe from their ingenuity.
With their sophisticated communication, bacteria “talk” to each other and even make plans. Biofilms are architecturally impressive microbial cities which our health and that of the environment often depend upon. In fact, humans are fundamentally reliant on biofilms acting on and within us. However, if the sensitive interplay gets out of balance, undesirable consequences such as antibiotic resistance can occur.
How do biofilms form? What does it know about their significance for health and the environment? How does science study their diversity? Are there "good" and "bad" biofilms? What could we learn from them? Could biofilms even help us on the way to creating a sustainable society?

WELCOME ADDRESS
Prof. Dr. Mojib Latif
President of the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Hamburg

PANEL
Prof. Dr. Meytal Landau
Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)

Prof. Dr. med. Holger Rohde
University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)

Prof. Dr. Holger Sondermann
Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Kiel University (CAU)

Prof. Dr. Fitnat Yildiz
University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC)

MODERATION
Angela Grosse
Science Journalist

The panel discussion will take place in English.
After the one-and-a-half-hour discussion, there will be an opportunity for conversation and exchange with panel members.

Please register to attend this event: www.cssb-hamburg.de/biofilms

Wednesday, October 4, 2023
19:00 – 21:00
Baseler Hof, Gartensaal
Esplanade 15
20354 Hamburg