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Review
. 2022 May 26;8(1):42.
doi: 10.1038/s41522-022-00306-y.

Economic significance of biofilms: a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral challenge

Miguel Cámara  1 , William Green  2 , Cait E MacPhee  3 , Paulina D Rakowska  2 , Rasmita Raval  4 , Mark C Richardson  2 , Joanne Slater-Jefferies  5 , Katerina Steventon  2 , Jeremy S Webb  5
Affiliations
Review

Economic significance of biofilms: a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral challenge

Miguel Cámara et al. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. .

Abstract

The increasing awareness of the significance of microbial biofilms across different sectors is continuously revealing new areas of opportunity in the development of innovative technologies in translational research, which can address their detrimental effects, as well as exploit their benefits. Due to the extent of sectors affected by microbial biofilms, capturing their real financial impact has been difficult. This perspective highlights this impact globally, based on figures identified in a recent in-depth market analysis commissioned by the UK's National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC). The outputs from this analysis and the workshops organised by NBIC on its research strategic themes have revealed the breath of opportunities for translational research in microbial biofilms. However, there are still many outstanding scientific and technological challenges which must be addressed in order to catalyse these opportunities. This perspective discusses some of these challenges.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Economic significance of biofilms by sector.
Corrosion has been removed from the right chart to expand the viewing of the other sectors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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