Pathogenic Versus Healthy Biofilms: A Metaphor for Academic Mobbing

In this article, I draw on the nature of biofilms as a metaphor for academic mobbing. Just as microbial populations form microcolonies that produce either healthy or pathogenic biofilms, populations of academics produce either healthy or pathogenic departments. Just as prebiotics and probiotics can be used to promote healthy microcolonies and biofilms, administrative and peer-to-peer interventions can promote healthy departments.