Northwestern University will receive $450,000 from the National Science Foundation under a Project Grant award titled "LINKING MATRIX COMPOSITION WITH SPATIALLY RESOLVED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES IN POLYMICROBIAL BIOFILMS." The funding period is from August 15, 2021 to July 31, 2024. The award is part of the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), which seeks to improve quality of life and economic strength through engineering research and education.
Specifically, the $450,000 grant will fund Northwestern University's research exploring the relationship between matrix composition and spatially resolved mechanical properties in polymicrobial biofilms. The university will analyze how the material composition of microbial communities influences the mechanical behavior at different locations within the biofilms. Insights from this research could further understanding of biofilm dynamics and their impacts in various applications.