The Blackwell Group is focused on the development of chemical strategies to manipulate bacterial cell-cell communication processes. The ability of bacteria to communicate with each other and function as a group is a critical step in the development of both infectious disease and health beneficial symbioses in humans, animals, and plants. The Blackwell team designs and synthesizes small molecule and peptide tools capable of intercepting these communication pathways (i.e., quorum sensing), allowing for the study of these processes in native environments with both temporal and spatial control. Equal focus is applied to understanding the biochemical mechanisms of action of these chemical tools and the native bacterial signals, necessitating genetic, biochemical, and structural experimentation.