Hansani Nilupama Kumari
Hansani is studying Vibrio parahaemolyticus biofilms, focusing on conditions leading to biofilm formation that may influence food safety in the seafood industry. Critical factors are temperature and an air liquid interface. Growth of biofilm on oyster shell surfaces and surfaces in seafood processing plant are potential sources of contamination that may lead to food poisoning. Climate change is believed to be having an influence on the numbers of illness being reported and Hansani’s work supports this assumption as temperature has an important effect on biofilm formation. The challenge is to replicate conditions in seawater in the laboratory, particularly around replicating the optimum air exposure for maximum biofilm formation.
Supervisors
Steve Flint
Jon Palmer