Printing nature to study nature- artificial 3D-leaves for ecologically relevant studies of bacterial biofilm communities

Bacteria in nature live in complex communities, where they communicate and collaborate. These communities often form on surfaces offering favorable growth conditions, and to enhance attachment and protection, the bacteria produce an extracellular polymeric matrix. Such matrix encased communities are known as biofilms. In the laboratory, biofilms are studied undersimplified conditions, and, therefore, we face a severe knowledge gap concerning interactions and organization in multispecies biofilms. In BioPrint, I will 3D print artificial, degradable leaves that serve as surface and substrate for model soil biofilms. The 3D leaves are easily manipulated and compatible with microscopy. The developed methodology will be used to unravel interspecies bacterial interactions in biofilms under ecologically relevant conditions, specifically aiming at identification of metabolic interactions and how these depend on the distance between bacteria.