Shrout-Applied Microbiology Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame
The Shrout Lab is interested to
better understand the "sociomicrobiology" of bacteria. 
Sociomicrobiology is the study of community effects of bacteria. Bacterial community behavior is important to many different aspects of bacteria,
including: survival, infection, symbiosis, and pollutant degradation.
Much of our current research focuses upon how bacteria coordinate to form attached-growth biofilm communities. We are particularly interested to explain the motility of these bacteria as they interpret their surface environment and cover the surface in a specific manner.
For most of this work we have focused upon the surface motility and biofilm development of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We utilize a combination of molecular, mathematical, and chemical analyses to research the interaction of these bacteria growing as biofilms.
In collaboration with Gerard Wong's group at UCLA we recently showed that bacteria display several surface motility patterns, including upright walking.