Gold Nanostars Take SERS Inside the Biofilm

Steven Bell explains how – and why – he’s tracking antibiotic diffusion in living biofilms

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Biofilms significantly hinder antimicrobial treatment due to their dense extracellular matrix, allowing bacteria to tolerate higher drug concentrations.
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Gold nanostars embedded in Staphylococcus aureus biofilms enabled real-time observation of antibiotic diffusion using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
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Antibiotic transport rates within biofilms were found to be over three orders of magnitude lower than in water, highlighting the biofilm matrix's formidable nature.
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The study's findings may lead to improved understanding of antibiotic resistance and the development of smarter antimicrobial strategies.
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The method has potential for broader applications, including studying other species and monitoring biofilm responses to various challenges.

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