Abstract: This talk will begin with an introduction of microbial glycobiology in order to highlight the importance of sugars to specific cell structures and physiology of the bacterial cell.  The model organism that we use in our glycobiology studies is the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is an important opportunistic pathogen that forms biofilms on tissues and surfaces.  This bacterial species can cause life-threatening infections in compromised individuals such as those with cancer, burn wound or cystic fibrosis.  The rest of the talk will focus on the genetics, biochemistry, biophysics, and techniques used to study lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis in P. aeruginosa.