Biodeterioration of Materials Due to Microbial Colonization

Microbial colonization of materials can lead to undesirable changes in the properties of materials, resulting eventually in unacceptable structural performance or cause failure.

Our group studies the surface colonization and biofilm development of microorganisms found on building materials, including fungi, algae and cyanobacteria. We investigate the potential effects of biofilm development on the defacement and degradation of different materials (e.g., plastic, wood).