In the marine environment, bacteria are predominantly found associated with or attached to surfaces in what is termed a biofilm. The formation of a biofilm, comprised either of a single type of microbe or a mixed population, is a complex process that bears similarities to developmental processes in multicellular organisms. Proteus mirabilis is an excellent model system to investigate how bacteria respond and adapt to surfaces in the process of establishing a monospecific biofilm. This bacterium responds to surfaces by producing a morphologically and physiologically distinct cell type called the swarmer cell. The research in our laboratory is focused on understanding P. mirabilis sensory transduction (i.e., how the cells detect stimuli and process those cues) and the regulation of gene expression resulting from signal acquisition. Since biofilm development is a fundamental characteristic of nearly all bacteria, the results obtained from our studies have impact on many areas of interest to scientists, ranging from the prevention of marine surface fouling on the hulls of ships to the prevention of bacterial diseases in humans.