Presenter(s)

Hailey Elizabeth Wypasek

Comments

Presentation: 9:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m., Kennedy Union Ballroom

This project reflects research conducted as part of a course project designed to give students experience in the research process.

Course: BIO 411L

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Description

Bacterial strains of infectious diseases are continuously evolving resistance to current day antibiotics. Thousands of lives are lost yearly due to these drug-resistant bacteria. The discovery of new antibiotics capable of killing these bacteria is crucial to saving modern medicine. To further this search, I collected a soil sample from my own backyard to discover a new bacteria with antimicrobial activity. To identify the bacteria I collected, I performed a series of microbiology research techniques, including serial dilution and plating. The isolate I chose grows on R2A media and presented antimicrobial activity against B. subtilis, the safe relative of an ESKAPE pathogen. I further performed gram-staining, gel electrophoresis, and a variety of biochemical tests on the bacteria. The bacteria is gram-negative, catalase positive, non-lactose fermenting, and gelatinase producing. It can be characterized as circular, flat, dull, nonpigmented, and opaque. I will continue performing more tests on my isolate in order to effectively analyze it. I seek to identify my bacteria and extract its active antimicrobial components in hopes of discovering a possible new antibiotic.

Publication Date

4-20-2022

Project Designation

Course Project

Primary Advisor

Laura Marie Hobbs

Primary Advisor's Department

Biology

Keywords

Stander Symposium project, College of Arts and Sciences

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Good Health and Well-Being

Identifying New Antimicrobial Compounds from Bacteria in Soil

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