Hall 1

Our laboratory uses electron tomography, combined with several structural and cell biology techniques to study cell surfaces of prokaryotes at the atomic level. Surface molecules mediate cellular interactions with the environment and play important roles in key processes including cell adhesion, biofilm formation and antibiotic tolerance in pathogenic bacteria. Our research pushes the boundaries of cellular structural biology, with technical developments aimed at identifying molecules on cell surfaces, and resolving their high-resolution structures in prokaryotic cells. In my Fleming Prize Lecture, I will provide an update of recent results in the laboratory in studying cell surfaces of prokaryotes. I will focus on latest methodological developments from our group, and how we are using them to reveal fundamental microbiology pertaining to bacteria and archaea.