The increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, the rising incidence of deadly hospital infections, and
the growing use of polymer-based medical devices make improved means to manipulate and kill bacteria
a critical societal need. By understanding and then controlling bacteria-surface interactions, the
investigators in Seed 1 will develop tailored polymer-based surfaces that are selective for the physicochemical landscape of outer bacterial surfaces, thereby facilitating recognition of bacterial strains
according to differences in their adhesive interactions. Going beyond variations in average surface
character/compositions; therefore, bacterial surfaces will be investigated in terms of their spatial
heterogeneity, about which little is currently known. Antimicrobial polymer surfaces not harmful to
mammalian cells are among the long-term Seed objectives; however, more generally the Seed seeks
creation of materials that can selectively adhere and dynamically manipulate bacteria, for instance
separating bacterial strains or distinguishing bacteria from mammalian cells. The program will also
produce a deeper level of understanding of the physico-chemical landscape of bacteria at the nanoscale.