Impedance in Microbiology: Biofilms & Antibiotics

Virtual Event: Using Impedance in Microbiology: Applications in Biofilm Research, Discovery of Novel Antimicrobials, and Selection of Antibiotic Treatments 

Many environmental and host-associated microbes grow forming biofilms. The high resistance to conventional antimicrobials of bacterial and fungal biofilms imposes a significant threat to human health, making the understanding, study and treatment of biofilms extremely challenging. Unlike standard biofilm methodologies, impedance techniques offer a label-free, real-time approach to monitoring biofilm growth and treatment responses. In this webinar, we will focus on the potential of impedance-based measurements to advance current knowledge on microbial biofilms. We will describe how it can be used to quantify biofilm growth and to study biofilm dynamics in pure cultures of yeasts and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as complex, multi-species biofilms like dental plaque. We will also describe the different applications of the technology in microbiology, including: 1) Understanding biofilm biology; 2) Testing novel antimicrobial compounds; 3) detecting persister cells; 4) performing antibiotic susceptibility testing; and 5) improving antibiotic selection in clinical settings.

Key Learnings:

• Understand the basis of impedance technology
• Learn how to quantify biofilm growth in bacteria and yeasts in real time
• Gain insights about different applications of impedance technology in research and for clinical purposes 

Who should attend:

• Principal Scientists – Infectious Diseases (Pharma/Biotech)
• Senior Researchers – Immunology (Academic/Research Institute)
• Microbiology R&D Scientists – Diagnostic Development (Biotech)
• Clinical Microbiologists – Hospital/Healthcare Lab
• Translational Scientists – Microbiome & Inflammation (Academic/Start-up)

  
  

Free Downloadable Resources

Studying Bacterial Biofilms Using Cellular Impedance: Agilent's application note, "Studying Bacterial Biofilms Using Cellular Impedance," showcases a groundbreaking, real-time method for monitoring bacterial biofilm formation using xCELLigence RTCA technology. This label-free, automated approach measures impedance changes as bacteria adhere and produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), delivering continuous, quantitative data on biofilm development. Empowering researchers to efficiently assess the efficacy of antimicrobial treatments, this technique offers a comprehensive and less labor-intensive alternative to traditional endpoint assays, revolutionizing biofilm research and accelerating the path to innovative solutions.

Infectious Disease Applications: Agilent's xCELLigence RTCA Infectious Disease Applications Handbook presents real-time, label-free, solutions for monitoring of host-pathogen interactions. By measuring impedance changes, researchers can continuously and quantitatively assess cellular responses to bacterial toxins, viral infections, and parasitic activity, eliminating the need for labels or endpoint assays. This approach enhances assay efficiency, reproducibility, and throughput, offering a more comprehensive and less labor-intensive alternative to traditional methods.