Newport & Cardiff Materials Society (NCMS)

Biological soft matter systems require specific mechanical properties to maintain their structure, withstand physical stress, and perform vital functions. These properties enable systems to protect tissues and regulate transport processes. Changes in these mechanical properties can indicate shifts in overall system health and offer insights into disease mechanisms. AFM is a powerful tool that not only images but also determines the mechanical nature of complex biological structures and processes, generating structure-property relationships in both health and disease.
Dr Pattem will showcase how he developed his AFM skills, innovated novel approaches during his postdoctoral work, and applied these methods to a variety of bioscience challenges. This includes his transition to a lectureship in biomaterials. Examples of his work include real-time monitoring of hard and soft tissues in dynamic environments, studying single and multi-cell bacterial colonization behaviour, developing alternative approaches to antimicrobial resistance, and exploring gene-structure functions in plants.

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