With the advent of DNA sequencing and proteomics much progress has been made in unraveling the details of the pathways of biomacromolecule production in bacterial cells. Much less work has been done in understanding the physical properties of bacterial cells which are related to bacterial interactions in the environment and survivability. Elasticity is related to a cell's robustness and ability to survive in harsh environmental conditions commonly found in natural systems. Bacterial adhesion is, of course, the first step in biofilm formation, which is associated with numerous agricultural, ecological, medical, and industrial problems. In addition, bacterial adhesion is the key event that retards movement of bacteria in soils. Adhesion and elasticity are mediated by the bacterial membrane, the composition of which varies with nutrient status, attachment state and environmental stressors. For instance, in response to drying, cell surface lipids become more rigid and proteins undergo conformational changes. We know very little about how environmental stresses affect the robustness and hence survivability of bacteria. To examine one aspect of this overall problem, in this study we used a surface forces apparatus to make direct force measurements between a single layer of supported bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1) and a surface. Our aim is to understand how desiccation affects the robustness and survivability of bacteria. In our initial experiments we have measured the adhesiveness and elasticity of as it undergoes the process of drying in ambient humidity.