Institutional Collaborators
The Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE) is internationally recognized for its leadership in biofilm research and education, having trained over 1,660 students and visiting scientists. CBE hosts biannual conferences that bring together hundreds of academics, government agencies, and industrial stakeholders—including Steris, 3M, Baxter, Albemarle, Arxada, Proctor & Gamble, NASA, the EPA, and the FDA. These events provide a unique platform for research translation, regulatory insight, and industry-academic exchange. Our planning project will be highlighted at upcoming CBE conferences, including a dedicated workshop and special session in 2026.
The Neural Engineering Data Consortium (NEDC) and the Institute for Signal and Information Processing (ISIP), led by Joseph Picone at Temple University, have a decades-long track record in developing open-source data and software for biomedical research. With over 10,000 subscribers and a strong history in signal processing and machine learning, these institutions provide the backbone for the technical and outreach infrastructure of this project. Their community engagement platforms—such as listservs, symposiums, and digital repositories—ensure our tools and findings are broadly shared and adopted.
In addition, our team actively participates in major interdisciplinary conferences, including the ASM Biofilm Meeting and the IEEE Signal Processing in Medicine and Biology Symposium, which promote cross-disciplinary exchange among researchers in biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, and applied mathematics. These venues will serve as important forums for project dissemination and community-building.
Principal Investigators
Albert Parker (CBE)
Lead Biostatistician
Dr. Parker has been the lead biostatistician at CBE since 2008. He is an expert in statistical analyses of complex microbial datasets derived from imaging, omics, genetics, and spectroscopy. His work often addresses challenges such as measurements below the limit of detection. As a consulting statistician for the U.S. EPA, ASTM, and AOAC, he has shaped national standards for microbial and viral system analysis.
Heidi Smith (CBE)
Microscopy Facility Director
With over 15 years of experience in microbial ecology and field research, Dr. Smith leads advanced imaging initiatives at CBE. She specializes in cutting-edge techniques including Raman Confocal Microscopy, Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy, and Stable Isotope Probing, and is focused on visualizing microbial life in complex environments—particularly within biofilms.
Bettina Buttaro (Temple University)
Professor of Microbiology
Dr. Buttaro has over three decades of experience in bacterial biofilms, metabolism, and microbial genetics. She has led numerous interdisciplinary collaborations and now focuses on integrating biological experiments with computational modeling and machine learning to uncover how 3D biofilm architecture impacts microbial behavior and molecular exchange.
Joseph Picone (Temple University)
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
A pioneer in machine learning and open-source software, Dr. Picone brings over 40 years of experience to the project. Founder of the ISIP and leader of the NEDC, his recent work focuses on bioengineering applications of ML, including digital pathology and biomedical imaging. His platforms have supported thousands of researchers and students worldwide.