This course will provide students with a broad overview of the role bacteria have played in human disease and infection. More than that, facets of microbiology which study bacteria in a more holistic sense just might change your mind about this entire class of model organism!

Multicellularity independently evolved more than 20 times and is found in all three domains of life. A defining characteristic of this lifestyle is that it allows for diversification. This advantage is reflected by the observation that bacteria are part of cellular assemblages (biofilms) under most natural settings. (A comparable human analog to biofilms would be the world's population crammed into an area the size of Manhattan!) Yet, our thinking about the development of multicellular organisms is traditionally restricted to eukaryotes. Little attention is given to structural organization in bacterial communities and how these respond to environmental changes. Bacteria are amazing and represent a rewarding set of model organisms to study. We promise! Let's get nerdy!

Multicellularity independently evolved more than 20 times and is found in all three domains of life, suggesting cells' ability to assemble into structured communities. Bacteria are part of dynamic communities called biofilms under most natural settings. However, our thinking about the development of multicellular organisms is traditionally restricted to eukaryotes. Little attention is given to structural organization in bacterial communities. Let's change that!