Fluid flow and environmental geometry guide the journey of swimming bacteria
Summary
In natural and artificial settings, fluid flow and hydrodynamic interactions shape how bacteria attach to surfaces and form biofilms. Tao et al. show that motile E. coli can swim upstream through microstructured environments, revealing how the interplay between geometry and flow governs invasion dynamics and suggesting design principles to prevent bacterial colonization.
Content
# Fluid flow and environmental geometry guide the journey of swimming bacteria
*Published: 2026 Feb 19*
In natural and artificial settings, fluid flow and hydrodynamic interactions
shape how bacteria attach to surfaces and form biofilms. Tao et al. show that
motile E. coli can swim upstream through microstructured environments, revealing
how the interplay between geometry and flow governs invasion dynamics and
suggesting design principles to prevent bacterial colonization.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.01.010