Parameter fitting in models of biofilm resistance to antibiotics

Abstract

Biofilms are communities formed by bacteria attached to surfaces and protected from antibiotic attacks by a polymeric matrix (EPS). Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) models take into account the diversity of the mechanisms involved in biofilm resistance to antibiotics and allow us to study their effects on bacteria. These models involve sets of unknown parameters, which must be fitted to experimental data in such a way that the model predictions are consistent with experiments. Varying these parameters in a simplified model, we are able to calibrate their values and understand their influence on different bacterial distributions.