Our research focuses to understand how microorganisms cause disease and what mechanisms they employ to overcome environmental stress. Of particular interest are polymicrobial infections (two or more microbes occupying the same niche) and how multiple microbes can change the course of infection and treatment. To accomplish this, we investigate host-pathogen interactions in culture conditions and in the context of complex skin infections such as abscesses and wounds. Our research examines a variety of important nosocomial organisms including all of the so-called ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) as well as Escherichia coli, Propionibacterium acnes, and Streptococcus pyogenes.