Soft Matter and Wetting
Functional soft materials and wettability of surfaces are the key research interests of Soft Matter and Wetting research group at Aalto University Department of Applied Physics.
Rethinking Antibiofilm Surfaces: From Nanotopography to Liquid-Like Coatings
Prof. Jinju Chen gives a talk on an antibiofilm surface strategy using a liquid-like nanocoating.
Welcome to a research seminar by Prof. Jinju Chen of Loughborough University!
Host: Robin Ras (Soft Matter and Wetting)
Title: Rethinking Antibiofilm Surfaces: From Nanotopography to Liquid-Like Coatings
Abstract:
Biofilms are at the heart of some of the most pressing global challenges, impacting medicine, industry, and the environment with significant economic and social consequences. Traditional chemical-based approaches to combat biofilm growth, such as immobilizing antimicrobial agents like antibiotics or silver particles, often risk triggering antimicrobial resistance. Physical-based strategies, including nanostructured surfaces, show promise but are limited by the rapid lateral spread of bacteria, which can mask surfaces within days [1-2]. While multiscale surface structures have been shown to delay biofilm formation, their effectiveness diminishes over time [3].
Recently, lubricant-impregnated surfaces (LIS) have emerged as a novel anti-biofilm strategy, leveraging their liquid-repellent properties to prevent bacterial adhesion [4-5]. However, the potential loss of lubricant due to repeated use or shear forces poses a critical challenge to their practical application [6].
In this talk, we present a groundbreaking antibiofilm surface strategy using a liquid-like nanocoating that eliminates the risk of lubricant loss [6-7]. This innovative approach offers a durable and effective solution to biofilm control, with far-reaching implications for healthcare, industry, and environmental sustainability.
References
- Ivanova, E. P. et al. Small 2012, 8, 2489–2494.
- Diu, T. et al. Sci. Rep. 2014, 4, 7122.
- Cao, Y. et al. Sci. Rep. 2018, 8, 1071.
- Wong, T.-S. et al. Nature 2011, 477, 443–447.
- Cao, Y. et al. Langmuir 2020, 36, 13396–13407.
- Zhu, Y. et al. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2022, 14, 6307–6317.
- Zhu, Y. et al. ACS Applied Bio Materials 2025, 8, 5660–5669
Jinju Chen is Full Professor of Advanced Materials and Biointerfaces at Loughborough University, UK, where she also serves as Research Director for Materials. An internationally recognised leader in advanced biointerface engineering and nanobiomechanics, she has secured more than £9 million in research funding from major national and international agencies.
Her research spans nanobiomechanics, antimicrobial and antibiofilm surfaces, cell–material interactions, and physics-informed computational modelling, with a particular focus on developing multiscale orthopaedic implant materials and bioinspired interfaces to combat biofilm formation and infection.
Professor Chen has supervised and mentored approximately 25 postdoctoral researchers and PhD students. She serves as Principal Editor for the Journal of Materials Research and sits on the Editorial Boards of Scientific Reports, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, and Acta Mechanica Sinica. She is a member of the UK Research and Innovation Talent Peer Review College and regularly serves on UKRI funding panels across healthcare technologies, engineering, and physical sciences. In addition, she reviews research proposals for funding agencies in the UK, Europe, and Singapore, and has delivered more than 90 invited and keynote lectures internationally.
Professor Chen has authored 89 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals including Advanced Functional Materials, Physical Review Letters, Acta Biomaterialia, Nanoscale, and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, as well as two book chapters. She has been recognised in the Stanford University/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists List annually since 2021.
