Heema Vyas

I am passionate about addressing biofilms, microbial communities encased in a protective extracellular matrix. Unlike planktonic cells, biofilms are notoriously difficult to treat due to their heightened antimicrobial tolerance. Additionally, biofilms contribute significantly to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a global crisis exacerbated by the overuse of antimicrobials. Pervasive across all systems, biofilms impact health, food safety, industry, and the environment, presenting key opportunities for translational research in their prevention, detection, and treatment.

To tackle this complex issue, I am researching plasma-activated water (PAW), which utilises plasma, the fourth state of matter, to alter the physicochemical properties of water, generating potent antimicrobial reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. As a Postdoctoral researcher (2021–2024 at the University of Sydney, 2024–present at the University of Adelaide), I investigate PAW as a promising antibiofilm alternative to conventional antimicrobials, which are increasingly ineffective due to AMR.

I have demonstrated PAW's efficacy against biofilms linked to chronic infections, surface contamination, foodborne diseases, and water contamination. Additionally, I have advanced our understanding of PAW by revealing its mechanisms, including rapid disruption of microbial membranes, accumulation of lethal reactive species within biofilms, and, for the first time, harnessing transcriptomics to identify key stress-response genes and biological pathways altered in biofilm cells after PAW exposure. These findings highlight PAW's potential to target multiple microbial components, reduce resistance, and offer a novel solution to biofilms and AMR.

Overall, my research is innovative in its approach, bridging microbiology, chemical and biomolecular engineering, and plasma physics to address biofilms. Furthermore, it holds the potential to combat the growing challenge of AMR by providing novel strategies and solutions to this critical global health issue.