Department of Biology

Research Strengths

Microbial Interactions and Pathogenesis

Many bacteria routinely cultivated in the laboratory cope with much more challenging and diverse environments in nature. For example, Escherichia coli can be easily cultivated in pure culture in vitro. However, this bacteria’s normal home is the mammalian gut; there it must compete with a complex consortia of microorganisms for nutrients, space and avoid host immune defenses. Our group is interested in the fascinating mechanisms microbes employ to survive in such complex environments. For example, we study how bacterial pathogens attach to and invade their hosts, while simultaneously counter-acting immune responses. We have also made fundamental discoveries concerning how bacteria associate with environmental surfaces and form complex communities such as biofilms. Finally, we are exploring how bacteria communicate with one another and are defining how bacteria interact as populations. Synergy among our groups provides an excellent training environment for students who are interested in understanding the molecular tools bacteria have evolved to become the most ubiquitous, abundant and diverse life forms on earth.