(402d) Invited Talk: Probing Bacterial Social Behaviors during Human Infection

The survival of pathogens in the human body has been rigorously studied for well over a century. Bacteria are able to colonize, persist and thrive in vivo due to an array of capabilities, including the ability to attach to host tissues, produce extracellular virulence factors, and evade the immune system. Most bacterial pathogenesis studies have focused on mono-culture infections; however, it is clear that many bacterial infections are not simply the result of colonization with a single species, but rather ensue from the actions of polymicrobial communities. Here, I will discuss how interactions between bacteria impact community development, resistance to host innate immunity, and persistence in experimental model and human infections. I will also discuss the use of novel technologies including micro-3D printing and scanning electrochemical microscopy for probing bacterial interactions in biofilm populations.