The observed swimming behavior of a motile microorganism is the result
of a complex interplay between mechanisms of internal force generation,
the passive elastic properties of its structure, and a surrounding
viscous fluid. In this talk, we will focus on two very different types
of microorganisms: the spirochetes, which are a type of bacteria
characterized by an efficient mode of motility that allows them to
screw through viscous fluids and mucosal surfaces, and spermatozoa,