Lindsey Backman

In the Backman lab, we're really excited about studying organization within bacterial cells. When you take a biology class, you learn that animal cells contain complex structures and compartmentalizations that allow them to function efficiently. Bacteria, on the other hand, were thought of as disorganized blobs of molecules. 

But it turns out that a lot of compartmentalization in bacteria has gone unnoticed, due to the ways we've studied bacteria for so long. These compartments are especially prominent inside bacteria that are associated with disease and are sensitive to oxygen. By placing oxygen-sensitive functions inside these protective compartments, pathogens can flourish even in the presence of oxygen.

We think that these compartments might give harmful bacteria a bit of a competitive advantage, allowing them to proliferate and cause more disease. If we could find a way to stop the formation of these compartments, we could put them on the same playing field as some of the beneficial bacterial species found in our body.