Dr Heema Kumari Nilesh Vyas is a Postdoctoral researcher specialising in biofilms. She earned her PhD in 2021 from the University of Wollongong, where her thesis explored how pharyngeal cell surface glycans influence Group A Streptococcus biofilm formation and its implications for antibiotic treatment. Following her doctorate, she joined the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Engineering (2021–24) as a Postdoctoral Researcher, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to investigate the anti-biofilm properties of plasma-activated water (PAW). This novel technology harnesses plasma, the fourth state of matter, to eradicate biofilms. Her work uncovered key mechanisms behind PAW’s efficacy and its diverse applications across biomedical, food, and water treatment industries. As a Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Adelaide (2024-2025), she continued to advance PAW–biofilm research. Beyond the lab, Heema founded the first national Biofilm Special Interest Group within the Australian Society for Microbiology and co-founded its LGBTQIA+ and Allies Network, promoting inclusivity, visibility, and equity in STEMM.