This book emerges from the idea that specific physics-inspired approaches are necessary tounderstand different stage of bacterial lifestyles and the infections they cause. Many aspects of bacterial life depend on processes typically described by physical laws. Therheology of biofilms is determined by complex cohesive forces. Physical laws of diffusionare essential to all processes of bacterial metabolism. The formation of the numerousbacterial biomacromolecules require complex self-organization processes and their functionare powered by potent molecular motors. Host pathogen interactions during infection alsofrequently occur in environments determined by fluid mechanics. In this book, different chapters represent research at the interface between microbiologyand physics. Topics range from intracellular organization to cell-cell interactions. A good partof the book is devoted to mechanical forces, which are involved in the function of elaboratebacterial nanomachines, chromosome segregation, and cell division. The effect of bacterialtoxins provides an example of the alteration of cellular membrane properties by bacteria.Symmetrically, histones from mammalian cells alter bacterial membranes as a defensemechanism during infection. The editors of this book, Guillaume Duménil and Sven van Teeffelen have selectedresearchers at the forefront of research in physical microbiology to provide the most recentview in this fast-moving field. The contents of this book are designed to be accessible for scientists with training in biologyand for scientists with training in physics. The objective is to provide a fresh perspective onmicrobiology and infection by highlighting recent multidisciplinary research and favor rapidadvances at this fruitful interface.

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