Internationally known as the man who helped solve the mystery behind toxic shock syndrome, Philip M. Tierno Jr., Ph.D., is the director of clinical microbiology and diagnostic immunology at New York University Medical Center and Mt. Sinai Medical Center, and a part-time associate professor in the departments of microbiology and pathology at New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Tierno is the author of The Secret Life of Germs (now available in hardcover from Pocket Books) and has published numerous papers on microbial ecology and environmental and medical microbiology in leading scientific and medical journals worldwide. He has also appeared on such national shows as 20/20, Oprah, Dateline NBC, and PrimeTime. Dr. Tierno lives in New York City, and is a member of the New York City Mayor's Task Force on Bioterrorism.