Like animals, bacteria grow in many different shapes, but almost everything that we know about bacterial shape is based on straight rod-shaped cells like E. coli and B. subtilis. We combine genetics, biochemistry, biophysics, and cell biology to discover the unique ways that important bacterial pathogens grow into different shapes like spheres and spirals. Bacterial cell shape is determined by a rigid cell envelope, a 3D structure that surrounds the cell like an exoskeleton, separating and protecting the cell from its environment. Thus, figuring out how bacteria grow into different shapes means understanding how they pattern the growth of their cell envelopes. Our research into cell shape and cell envelop biogenesis identifies hidden vulnerabilities in bacterial growth plans and helps us understand how cell shape contributes to infection and antibiotic resistance. We are hiring, visit the website to see open positions or contact me.