Dr. Fu’s research group has been particularly active in looking at the propulsion and locomotion of swimming microorganisms such as bacteria and sperm. He says his interest in this topic arises because “the motility of microorganisms affects our lives in so many ways – from our conception through fertilization to infection by bacteria to ecology and the environment.”  He is especially interested in investigating situations when microorganisms must navigate complex biological materials, such as when bacteria encounter mucus or tissue during an infection.