Research Interests
The Environmental biofilm research axis:
The environmental Microbiomes & Biofilm Research Laboratory will evaluate the bioaccumulated levels of pollutants within the region’s sampled freshwater and benthic biofilm communities. In the short term, the knowledge acquired from this project will allow the comparison of microbial diversity, abundance, and functional and gene expression profiles between benthic biofilm communities and corresponding water samples from the same sites and between various locations in the region, as determined by their pollution level. Moreover, in the mid-to-long term, this study will allow targeted fundamental research programs, focusing on biofilms’ reactivity to key pollutants using engineered biofilm systems used in the BRL and studying pollution impacts on freshwater benthic communities worldwide. This area of research is relevant to furthering our understanding of the link between biofilms and water quality meant for agricultural activities and, ultimately, food/produce safety.
The food safety research axis:
The environmental Microbiomes & Biofilm Research Laboratory will be involved in the microbiological surveying of food contact surfaces used in food processing at both industrial and artisanal levels in the region. Microbial community profiling, in conjunction with the isolation and identification of targeted organisms through combined metagenomics, whole genome, and comparative genomics analyses, will help us better understand the ecological context of the persistence and survival of key targeted organisms. Such knowledge would help identify critical aspects of hygienic processes and hygienic design that could be optimised to improve food safety and public health.
The bioprocess engineering axis:
The environmental Microbiomes & Biofilm Research Laboratory is interested in engineering a specialised microbial biofilm consortium capable of efficiently decomposing organic matter, including foods with high cellulose contents. Other projects involve the engineering of optimised microencapsulation formulation for the efficient delivery of live probiotics.
