William E. Bentley is Robert E. Fischell Distinguished Chair in Engineering at the University of Maryland and Inaugural Director of the Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices. His group develops molecular tools that facilitate expression of biologically active proteins and that manipulate signal transduction pathways, including those of bacterial communication networks. His lab also develops strategies for opening ‘communication’ between devices and biological systems. He is co-PI of Maryland’s Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation with the FDA and the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation with Children’s National Medical Center. He is a Fellow of the ACS, AAAS, AIMBE and the American Academy of Microbiology.