Candida albicans is the most widespread fungal pathogen in humans and one of the most frequent hospital-acquired infections leading to an annual cost exceeding $1 billion per year. While it is responsible for common clinical problems (e.g. oral thrush), it can also cause life-threatening systemic infections. Surface adhesion, morphological switching, and biofilm formation are interrelated factors that contribute directly to C. albicans virulence. Therefore, compounds that impair these processes would have promising properties as first step towards new antifungal therapeutics. In collaboration with investigators at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the Kaufman laboratory has identified compounds that prevent adhesion of Candida albicans to polystyrene surfaces. They are currently exploring how these compounds can be incorporated into medical plastics and medical device coatings to alter biofilm formation in that context.