The CMB's research platforms are based on understanding, in a mechanistic fashion, how chemical signals mediate the ecology, physiology and molecular biology of organisms, and the subsequent application of this knowledge to novel biotechnologies. They include the following programs:

One of the fundamental ways in which organisms communicate with each other is via extracellularly produced chemicals. This is particularly true for interactions at living surfaces, where colonisation can cause the death or degradation of the host.

Microorganisms predominantly exist in sessile communities rather than as free-living planktonic cells. These sessile communities develop on all surfaces in aqueous environments. Cell-cell signalling is one key feature for such consortia of cells, or biofilms to develop.

Our research on marine prokaryote/eukaryote interactions is now entering a new phase via the application of environmental genomics to biofilms on living surfaces. In 2006, the CMB and the J. Craig Venter Institute entered a five year research program on whole community sequencing of marine biofilms, and the generation of functional metagenomics libraries from these biofilms to identify novel extracellular signal and bioactive compounds.

Biofouling - the colonisation of submerged surfaces by aquatic organisms - is a major problem for all marine industries. Fouling on surfaces results in, among other things, corrosion, a decrease in hydrodynamic efficiency and transport of introduced pests.

Recent years have witnessed a rapid progress in our understanding of the role and extent of intercellular quorum sensing signalling in bacteria. Many bacteria communicate using chemicals to coordinate their activities and colonise surfaces.  CMB has an excellent track record in identifying secondary metabolites, produced by sessile higher organisms that serve as a quorum sensing blockers.  Such inhibitors drive the development of novel anti-biofilm and antimicrobial technologies.

 

The increasing challenge of solving environmental problems is seeing the emergence of new discipline, one that integrates engineering and the life sciences into the field of environmental engineering and biotechnology.