Bacteria Talk. . .to Dr. Bonnie Bassler

I had the pleasure of watching the Nova segment last night about
Dr. Bonnie Bassler's work on communication between bacteria.
While I was somewhat familiar with this work, known as quorum
sensing, I was unaware of how it might be used to combat
infections by disrupting the communication between the bacteria.
The program also showed a fascinating glimpse of a brilliant
woman scientist. It was inspiring to hear of her background and
evolution. Being all too attuned to the particular difficulties women
have in the sciences, I was especially impressed by her achievements.
I would encourage anyone interested in biology or medicine to watch this clip
on bacterial communication, which is available on-line. I hope
that young women, especially, will learn of Dr. Bassler's story
and important research.