MicroWell™ Biofilm Plate Assay

Applications

The MicroWell™ Biofilm Plate Assay is purpose-built for research where the substrate material actually matters. Common applications include:

Antimicrobial Efficacy Testing: Evaluate how well antimicrobial agents, coatings, or treatments perform against biofilms grown on the exact surface material relevant to your research, not just polystyrene.

Medical Device and Implant Research: Grow biofilms directly on titanium, stainless steel, PEEK, or other implant-grade materials to assess infection risk and surface treatment strategies under realistic conditions.

Industrial and Environmental Surface Studies: Investigate biofilm formation on materials used in food processing, water treatment, and industrial systems, where surface chemistry has a direct impact on biofilm behavior.

Custom and Novel Material Screening: Test proprietary coatings, new alloys, or experimental substrates using an established, reproducible biofilm challenge methodology. Results follow the same foundational workflow recognized throughout the biofilm research community, making them meaningful, comparable, and publishable.

Microcalorimetry Integration: Pair the MBPA 48-50 variant with isothermal microcalorimetry instruments to capture real-time metabolic activity data from surface-associated biofilms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the MicroWell™ compatible with the Calgary Biofilm Device workflow?

Yes. The MicroWell™ follows the same foundational methodology as the Calgary Biofilm Device: batch biofilm growth on a suspended coupon, antimicrobial challenge, sonication-based recovery, and viable cell enumeration. Researchers familiar with that workflow will recognize the protocol immediately. The key difference is that the MicroWell™ extends it to any coupon material, not just polystyrene.

What coupon materials are supported?

The MBPA 48 supports any machinable coupon material, including stainless steel, titanium, PTFE, glass, aluminum, and custom materials available upon request. If your research requires a specific substrate, contact us to discuss options.

Why 48-well instead of 96-well?

The larger well diameter of a 48-well plate is what makes rigid coupon materials possible. At 96-well scale there is no room for a coupon of any meaningful size or thickness. The 48-well format is a deliberate design choice that enables surface-specific biofilm research that polystyrene pegs cannot support.

Can the system be sterilized between experiments?

Yes. Both the coupon holder plate and the alignment plate are fully autoclavable. The only single-use component is the standard 48-well microtiter plate and lid, which is common off-the-shelf labware you likely already stock.

Is the MicroWell™ compatible with microcalorimetry instruments?

Yes, through the MBPA 48-50 variant, which uses shortened 0.50 inch coupons designed to fit isothermal microcalorimetry vials such as the Symcel calVial. This configuration enables real-time metabolic activity measurements from surface-associated biofilms alongside standard viable cell enumeration.

How does coupon height consistency affect my results?

Consistent coupon immersion depth across all 48 wells is critical for reproducible biofilm formation. The included aluminum alignment plate sets every coupon to a precise, uniform depth before your experiment begins, ensuring that biofilm growth conditions are equivalent across the entire plate and that your results are meaningful and comparable between runs.