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Film Buff

The complex architecture of biofilm building uncovered

04 April 2026

Film Buff

Hospital-caught (nosocomial) bacterial infections can be the hardest to combat because they often evolve antibiotic resistance. Acinetobacter baumannii is one such bug and like, other gram-negative bacteria, relies on safety in numbers by forming a shielding 3D biofilm between neighbours. This study uncovers the complex architecture of the film built from pili (the stringy connectors emanating from A. baumannii cells seen here using electron microscopy), revealing the mechanisms underlying its formation and thus new targets for combatting antibiotic resistance.

Read the published research article here

Written by Lindsey Goff

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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