Beth Ann Lazazzera

Beth Ann Lazazzera is a Professor and Department Chair of the Life Sciences Core Curriculum Program at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), within the College of Letters and Science and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG). She has been a faculty member at UCLA since 1999, contributing significantly to both research and teaching in the life sciences.

Dr. Lazazzera earned her B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1989, followed by a Ph.D. in Bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1995. She completed her postdoctoral training in Microbiology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999.

Her research focuses on bacterial social behavior and evolution, particularly on how Gram-positive bacteria communicate using peptide signals and form biofilms. Her laboratory has identified key mechanisms of bacterial communication and biofilm formation, and is currently collaborating on developing methods to disrupt biofilms on orthopedic devices. A significant finding from her work shows that disruptions in translational quality control pathways lead to higher mutation rates, which contributes to increased antibiotic resistance development. Her research spans molecular microbiology, bacterial genetics, and the intersection of translation fidelity with bacterial social behaviors.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on biofilm research, translational quality control, and bacterial communication systems. Her work connects fundamental molecular mechanisms with potential clinical applications, particularly in combating bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance. The research spans from basic molecular studies in model organisms like Bacillus subtilis to applied research on pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholerae.

Dr. Lazazzera has received numerous scientific awards throughout her career, including:

• National Institutes of Health Predoctoral Fellowship (1990-1993)
• Herman Smythe Award from the University of Wisconsin, Madison (1994)
• Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (1996-1999)
• Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Foundation Alternate for Scholar Award (2000)

She has secured significant research funding, including NIH, NSF, and Army Research Office grants. Her current research projects include studying electromagnetic field effects on biofilms, translational quality control in microbial systems, and peptide signaling mechanisms in bacteria. As an educator, she has taught 'Introduction to Microbiology' (MIMG101) from 2001-2018 and the introductory biology course LS7A, 'Cell and Molecular Biology' since 2019. She has held leadership roles as past Vice Chair of Undergraduate Education in MIMG, past-Chair of the Academic Senate Undergraduate Council, and is currently the Chair of the Life Science Education Department.