Two major problems are troubling researchers studying biofilms at microscale: lack of standard procedures and inadequacy of the existing theoretical framework to quantify the observations. As the lack of standard procedures can be, to an extent, mitigated by careful description of experimental protocols and exercising caution when comparing results generated in different laboratories, lack of a proper theoretical framework to interpret the results is a major factor inhibiting progress in
understanding biofilm processes. This paper presents examples of microscale biofilm research projects related to the nature of intrabiofilm mass transport and to the nature of electrochemical interactions between biofilms and metals. The selection of topics intended to satisfy two goals (1) to stimulate interest and evoke appreciation for fundamental microscale biofilm research and (2) to demonstrate relevance of microscale biofilm research to Microbially Influenced Corrosion.
Keywords: biofilms, microbially influenced corrosion, MIC