THE OBJECTIVE OF THE RESEARCH EFFORT IS TO DETERMINE HOW SUBSTRATE COMPOSITION IMPACTS THE SPEED AND EXTENT OF SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION THROUGH MULTICELLULAR COMMUNITIES IN NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS. MULTICELLULAR COLLECTIVES IN NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS USE COMPLEX, COOPERATIVE SIGNALING STRATEGIES TO DETECT THREATS AND EXPLOIT RESOURCES (E.G.BIOFILM AND SOIL RHIZOSPHERE COMMUNITIES). WHILE THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN UNDERSTANDING THE MATHEMATICAL FOUNDATIONS OF MULTICELLULAR SIGNALING AND THE BIOMOLECULAR MECHANISMS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE, VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW THE PHYSIOCHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF SIGNAL PATHWAYS IMPACTS THE SPATIOTEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF A SIGNAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN CELLS ARE EMBEDDED IN SUBSTRATES WITH VARYING NUTRIENT COMPOSITION, POROSITY, AND STIFFNESSMIMICKING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS OF NATURAL SYSTEMS.