The Woodward Laboratory

We inhabit a world dominated by bacteria. While most of these organisms are innocuous, some select pathogenic bacteria are responsible for a significant proportion of human morbidity and mortality. Using cutting edge and multidisciplinary methods in biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology, our studies span fundamental bacterial physiology, pathogenesis, and immunology to reveal the molecular events pertaining to host-bacterial interactions. From the bacterial perspective we interrogate mechanisms employed by disease causing bacteria to colonize, replicate, and counteract the immune response of their eukaryotic hosts. From the host perspective, we are  engaged in understanding how eukaryotic organisms sense and respond to the presence of bacteria to effectively provide resistance to infection.