It feels that it was just a short while ago that Staffan Normark introduced npj Biofilms and Microbiomes in his editorial. Since then the journal has changed with a new editorial team put in place in 2018, with Alain Filloux (Imperial College) and Cathy Lozupone (University of Colorado Denver) replacing Staffan, and new Associate Editors Jean-Marc Ghigo (Institut Pasteur), Omry Koren (Bar-Ilan University).

To celebrate 5 years of cutting edge microbiology research Alain and Cathy helped me to compile a shortlist of some of the best articles we published, gathered together in this Anniversary Collection.

We have organised them in Biofilms and Microbiomes categories, but we're especially proud to publish some outstanding work that straddles both fields in the Biofilms and Microbiomes category.

Biofilms

Rapid microevolution of biofilm cells in response to antibiotics

Read the authors' take on this research in their Behind the paper post.   

A novel small molecule inhibitor of Candida albicans biofilm formation, filamentation and virulence with low potential for the development of resistance

Komodo dragon-inspired synthetic peptide DRGN-1 promotes wound-healing of a mixed-biofilm infected wound

A rather unusual source for an antimicrobial, the paper was featured in a Science Museum exhibit about antimicrobial resistance. Claudio at Nature Microbiology reviewed the exhibit here.  

Microbiomes

Comparison of Japanese and Indian intestinal microbiota shows diet-dependent interaction between bacteria and fungi

Fungi are sometimes forgotten members of the microbiome (as are viruses), but we make sure we cover all.

Human microbiome signatures of differential colorectal cancer drug metabolism

Biofilms and Microbiomes

A microbiota-generated bile salt induces biofilm formation in Clostridium difficile 

High-resolution bacterial 16S rRNA gene profile meta-analysis and biofilm status reveal common colorectal cancer consortia

The authors kindly talked to Ben about their work in this video interview.

Thank you for all who have helped us in creating this journal. Special thanks to our partners the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, who have been steadfast supporters, and of course to all our authors and reviewers without whom it wouldn't exist.

Feel free to contact me if you have questions about the journal, here or on Twitter.