We are interested in how microorganisms, especially the Gram-positive model bacterium Bacillus subtilis , respond to environmental changes, particularly antibiotic stress. The primary questions that motivate our basic research are: What are the molecular mechanisms of novel signal transducing systems mediating antibiotic resistance (molecular biology)? How do such signal transducing systems interdependent within regulatory networks (systems biology)? How can we rewire such systems to orchestrate novel expression programs within bacteria (Synthetic Biology)? Over the years, the knowledge gained from approaching these central questions has been applied to developing novel genetic tools (e.g. novel expression systems or whole-cell biosensors) or novel concepts, such as SporoBeads. The latter will be the primary focus of this talk. When faced with adverse environmental conditions, B. subtilis forms highly resistant endospores. These dormant life stages are encased in a multi-layered proteineaous shell that contributes to their stability and resistance properties. The formation of these spores is strictly regulated by a spatio-temporal differentiation program. By adapting this native regulation and developing a standardized vector suite for easily generating chimeric genes, we have modified the outermost layer - the crust - to display covalently attached fusion proteins of interest on the spore surface. Thus (enzymatically) functionalized, these SporoBeads can be applied in biotechnological processes, ranging from enzymatic conversions with simplified downstream processing to protein design and evolution.