This festive looking image is a composite looking through a crystalline biofilm showing individual Proteus on the surface of a single struvite crystal and surrounded by diffuse apatite crystals and was imaged by Dr Sandra Wilks.
Sandra’s work forms part of an interdisciplinary research project with Health Sciences to understand biofilm contamination of urinary catheters.
In long-term catheter users, approximately 50% will suffer encrustations and catheter blockage often due to the presence of the bacterium, Proteus mirabilis. I am using advanced microscopy to improve our understanding of the complex crystalline biofilm.
If you would like to know more about this exciting study and other related research projects please visit http://www.southampton.ac.uk/ifls/research/ifls/newpathwaystohealth/biofilms.page