Scientist honored for studies of bacterial communication

March 29, 2023

Scientist honored for studies of bacterial communication

When UW Medicine microbiologist  E. Peter Greenberg began studying how bacteria communicate to organize themselves into communities and complete tasks, many scientific peers were incredulous. Bacteria were supposed to be one-celled creatures that didn't do much beyond living and multiplying. Today research on quorum sensing — the cellular signals that help bacteria identify members of their own species, among other things — is a burgeoning field. 

In video soundbites, Greenberg describes how he became interested in the topic that today earned him a 2023 Canada Gairdner International Award. (See related news release.) He also discusses factors behind the virulence of disease-causing bacteria. 

Link to downloadable broadcast-ready media assets, including video, audio, and a still image of E. Peter Greenberg.

Credit: 

Randy Carnell and Zach Garcia/UW Medicine