Fungi and other microorganisms have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to organize individual organisms into functional communities. The ability of many yeast species to organize into communities such as colonies and biofilms is critical for their survival. Furthermore, these yeast communities have profound impacts both on human health and on the economy. The realization that communication between yeast within the community serves to organize these communities represents a paradigm shift. Our lab focuses on determining the molecular basis of the cell-to-cell signals that organized yeast into functional communities. These mechanisms are being addressed using an arsenal of new methods, many of which were developed in our lab.