Bonnie Bassler, Princeton University's Squibb Professor of Molecular Biology and department chair, is one of two recipients of the 2016 Max Planck Research Award. Bassler was recognized for her "major role in the discovery that Earth’s most ancient unicellular organisms communicate with one another via chemical signalling molecules," a process known as quorum sensing. Presented by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the Max Planck Society, the award honors scientists for their pioneering research into the sensory perception of organisms. Awardees receive 750,000 euros to fund future projects with colleagues in Germany and abroad.
