Professor Elizabeth Boon has always been drawn to the mysteries that unfold at the molecular level. In her laboratory in Stony Brook University’s Department of Chemistry, she and her students investigate how bacteria communicate with one another and make collective decisions, uncovering the chemical signals that drive some of the most persistent challenges in human health.
“Most people think of bacteria as single cells living on their own,” Boon said. “But most bacteria, most of the time, are living in these communities called biofilms, which function much more like a multicellular tissue.”
Understanding how these communities form, grow and disperse is at the center of her research. Biofilms, which often anchor to surfaces and cloak themselves in a protective matrix, render bacteria dramatically less susceptible to antibiotics and host immune responses. For patients, this can mean infections that linger for months or years. For scientists, it represents a difficult biological problem that requires both chemical insight and microbiological fluency.
Boon’s lab focuses on a particularly intriguing molecule: nitric oxide. Nearly two decades ago, researchers discovered that low levels of nitric oxide could trigger biofilm dispersal, pushing bacteria out of their fortified communities and back into a free-swimming state. What remained unknown was how bacteria sensed the molecule and what internal signals controlled their response.
“When I started my lab, I thought that was really fascinating,” Boon said. “If we could figure out a way to get bacteria to leave the biofilm and become more antibiotic susceptible, that might be one strategy for treating chronic infections.”
Her work balances long-term translational potential with a commitment to foundational discovery. “What excites me is really understanding the fundamental biology,” she said, underscoring that mechanistic insight must come first. At the same time, she acknowledged that when the science is ready, “we will definitely go down those roads,” signaling the future promise of therapeutic strategies rooted in her team’s work.
One reason Boon has been able to pursue questions that bridge chemistry, microbiology and biomedical science is Stony Brook’s collaborative environment. She describes the university as a place where disciplinary borders are permeable, enabling her to work closely with colleagues in the Renaissance School of Medicine and across campus. “There are structurally low barriers to interaction between departments, even between schools,” she said. “It is very easy to collaborate, use facilities and connect with people in different areas.”
Her commitment to interdisciplinary science also shapes her role as a mentor. Boon is a member of several graduate training programs, including the Chemical Biology Training Program and the graduate programs in Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Molecular Pharmacology, and the Molecular and Cell Biology of Infectious Diseases Training Program. Working with students from a range of scientific backgrounds brings new perspectives into her lab. “It helps me attract lots of different types of students who are interested in different types of things in my lab,” she said.
Boon recently joined the inaugural cohort of the SUNY Research Leadership Academy, which she describes as an opportunity to build community among peers across Stony Brook and across SUNY. She found particular value in the conversations, shared experiences and leadership exercises that encouraged participants to think differently about how they listen and respond.
“It has been incredibly interesting and useful to meet people from across Stony Brook and SUNY,” she said. “You realize you are not alone in these experiences.”
For Boon, the questions that animate her work are both molecular and human. How do bacteria communicate? How do researchers build the right environments and relationships to pursue ambitious scientific problems? As she continues to explore the small-molecule signals that shape bacterial life, her leadership and mentorship are contributing to a broader culture of inquiry at Stony Brook, one that encourages curiosity, collaboration and the pursuit of discoveries that unfold over decades of committed research.
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