Andrew Moysis is working to understand how cell wall metabolism affects growth of N. gonorrhoeae in a biofilm. Gonococcal biofilms are seen in clinical samples, and gonococci make impressively-large microcolonies that can be seen moving across host cells using twitching motility. Such biofilms are known to include endotoxin and DNA, but information on peptidoglycan is limited. Andrew has identified a role for peptidoglycan modification in biofilms and is working out the mechanisms involved.