Challenges in microbial biofilm formation

Join us for the next BioData Basel meetup! Co-promoted with Bits in Bio.

Speaker: Vitaliia (Vita) Terzova, MSc, Biozentrum, University of Basel (Jenal lab).

Vita works is on the second messenger c-di-GMP, the molecular switch that drives bacteria from a motile lifestyle to surface attachment and biofilm formation. She will walk us through the engineering of a c-di-GMP-free E. coli strain: sequentially deleting all twelve diguanylate cyclase genes, then re-introducing them one at a time to dissect what each enzyme actually does. Along the way she will cover single-cell biosensor measurements of c-di-GMP, the bimodal population behaviour imposed by the phosphodiesterase PdeL, and which enzymes turn out to drive biofilm formation and the link between c-di-GMP network and bacteriophage susceptibility.

As always, the focus is on methods and technical knowledge, a great opportunity to see how quantitative, single-cell approaches are applied to bacterial genetics and exchange ideas across disciplines. No prior experience with c-di-GMP signalling required, just curiosity!

Programme:

• 17:30 – Opening: Hendrik Mallin, Olink (case studies and career opportunities at Olink/Thermo Fisher 15 min)
• 18:00 – Main talk: Vitaliia Terzova
• 18:30–on – Networking apero, sponsored by Olink (part of Thermo Fisher Scientific)

Details: Date: Monday, 14 September 2026 Time: 17:30 – 19:30 Location: Basel (venue DBM, 2nd floor)

Open to everyone, BioData Basel members, Bits in Bio members, and anyone interested in computational biology, bioinformatics, and quantitative microbiology. Networking afterwards is welcome!

Links: GitHub | Discord | LinkedIn groups | Bits in Bio