A bibliographic outlook: machine learning on biofilm

Abstract A biofilm refers to an intricate community of microorganisms firmly attached to surfaces and enveloped within a self-generated extracellular matrix. Machine learning (ML) methodologies have been harnessed across diverse facets of biofilm research, encompassing predictions of biofilm formation, identification of pivotal genes and the formulation of novel therapeutic approaches. This investigation undertook a bibliographic analysis focused on ML applications in biofilm research, aiming to present a comprehensive overview of the field’s current status. Our exploration involved searching the Web of Science database for articles incorporating the term “machine learning biofilm,” leading to the identification and analysis of 126 pertinent articles. Our findings indicate a substantial upswing in the publication count concerning ML in biofilm over the last decade, underscoring an escalating interest in deploying ML techniques for biofilm investigations. The analysis further disclosed prevalent research themes, predominantly revolving around biofilm formation, prediction and control. Notably, artificial neural networks and support vector machines emerged as the most frequently employed ML techniques in biofilm research. Overall, our study furnishes valuable insights into prevailing trends and future trajectories within the realm of ML applied to biofilm research. It underscores the significance of collaborative efforts between biofilm researchers and ML experts, advocating for interdisciplinary synergy to propel innovation in this domain.