Microbe & Material Interactions Research Group

Our team investigates the antimicrobial activity of surfaces developed in collaboration with materials scientists from the X-Ray Spectroscopy Laboratory at the University of Tartu’s Institute of Physics and the Functional Materials Group at the University of Oulu within the FAST-Real project. We study the mechanisms of action of these materials and the stress responses they induce in bacterial cells.

Each researcher specializes in a specific aspect of bacterial behavior. Some team members examine the genotypic characteristics of bacterial cells, others analyze their phenotypic traits, while additional colleagues explore the conditions for biofilm formation, bacterial resistance, or the lag time during which bacteria reduce activity after exposure to antimicrobial agents.

Our group expands continuously to incorporate new expertise, addressing the complex behavior of bacteria comprehensively. Team members mentor students actively and engage in cutting-edge research. We collaborate with the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Germany, exchanging insights on antimicrobial agent efficacy and bacterial resistance within the FAST-Real project.

Group leader contact: angela.ivask@ut.ee

Members