r e s e a r c h.. p r o g r a m . o v e r v i e w

Bacterial biofilms are highly organized, surface-associated clusters of cells that are up to a 1000-fold more resistant to traditional antibiotics than free-living bacteria.  They are the major cause of persistent infections in humans, they clog industrial machinery and they contaminate our water supplies.  My lab studies the genetics behind biofilm formation in the non-pathogenic bacterium M. xanthus and in P. aeruginosa, a bacterium that can cause deadly infections in people who have cystic fibrosis, who are immune compromised and who have severe burns.  We study several aspects of biofilm formation, including cell-cell signaling, gene regulation, surface motility and stress tolerance.

Undergraduate students: Please click here for information about research opportunities in my lab.