A recent study by Tokyo Tech researchers has found that the biofilm-forming bacteria E. coli adheres firmly to hydrophobic and hydrophilic protein-adsorbing self-assembling monolayers (SAMs) and weakly to hydrophilic protein-resisting SAMs. These findings on how surface chemistry can influence the adhesion of bacterial cells and, in turn, biofilm formation could inform the development of bacteria-resistant surfaces and antibiofouling coatings for biomedical and industrial devices.