A $2 million National Science Foundation award will support efforts to design a bacterial system to extract critical minerals using biofilms. Large communities of surface-adhering microbes—also known as biofilms—have properties and can perform functions no single bacteria can perform on its own. Dental plaque, for example, is a naturally occurring biofilm that can wear down tooth enamel. Other biofilms can corrode steel.
The researchers' goal is to create accurate wiring diagrams using a multi-modal, cross-species, multi-scale approach. This will provide crucial insights into brain connectivity and its impact on cognition, behavior and disease.
