FK-KMK UGM. The Department of Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Gadjah Mada University (FK-KMK UGM) held a guest lecture on Thursday (25/04) at the Tahir Foundation Auditorium 8th Floor. The event was hosted by Prof. Christine Imbert, Ph.D., a researcher at the Laboratory of Ecology and Biological Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267 (EBI), University of Poitiers, with the topic ‘Fungi and biofilms: what research is carried out in our lab and why?’.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity for all of us to delve into biofilms together with Prof. Christine,” said Prof. dr. Titik Nuryastuti, M.Si., Ph.D., Sp.MK (K)., representative of the Clinical Bacteriology Division, Department of Microbiology FK-KMK UGM.
Prof. Christine explained the three main research focuses of Material Handling Equipment (MHE) accommodated in her research. These include understanding the interaction between free-living amoeba and other microorganisms in biofilms and controlling bacterial/fungal biofilms on medical devices.
“In my MHE research, there are Legionella sp, Borrelia sp, Candida sp, and others as the main microbial models studied,” explained Prof. Christine.
Prof. Christine also added that all fungi can form biofilms. For example, A. fumigatus, C. albicans, and C. neoformans.
“Candida albicans is one of the main microbial models studied in the EBI laboratory,” she explained.
She elaborated that the main focus on C. albicans aims to understand the infection risk related to biofilm formation. Likewise, C. albicans is associated with dental units and dental unit waterlines.
Furthermore, her findings indicate that more than 80% of infections in humans correlate with biofilms.
“In the EBI, we develop models to understand the pathophysiology of infections in biofilms, we use single species such as C. albicans and double species such as C. albicans and C. acnes, and C. albicans and S. aureus,” she concluded.
Furthermore, this represents a commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically goal 4 Quality Education and SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being. (Isroq Adi Subakti/Reporter)
