Antibiotic Research in Soil Sample
Location
CoLab, OCB 100
Start Date
27-4-2018 9:00 AM
Document Type
Poster
Description
Antibiotic resistance can be defined as the ability for bacteria to adapt and resist the effects of antibiotics. As time continues to pass, antibiotic resistance is becoming a bigger problem and has now become one of the biggest threats to humans. If action is not taken, infections will kill an increasing amount of people. Research has shown that soil is a rich source of bacteria and that many of these microbes may produce antibiotics. This semester, I collected a soil sample from my own backyard to study and to search for new antibiotics. After plating my soil sample, I began to look for bacteria that inhibited the growth of surrounding bacteria (zones of inhibition). I then isolated candidate bacteria from the soil sample and noted the colony morphology. Next, I tested my candidates against the lab safe relatives to the 6 ESKAPE Pathogens. ESKAPE Pathogens are organisms that pose a major threat because they are hard to treat and are known for their ability to be resistant to antibiotics. I then isolated a candidate bacterium that exhibited antibiotic-producing characteristics. I will identify and characterize my candidate bacterium by PCR and sequencing, staining and microscopic analysis, and biochemical testing. From this research, I hope to contribute a new antibiotic to the field of antibiotic research while decreasing the threat of antibiotic resistant pathogens.
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Antibiotic Research in Soil Sample
CoLab, OCB 100
Antibiotic resistance can be defined as the ability for bacteria to adapt and resist the effects of antibiotics. As time continues to pass, antibiotic resistance is becoming a bigger problem and has now become one of the biggest threats to humans. If action is not taken, infections will kill an increasing amount of people. Research has shown that soil is a rich source of bacteria and that many of these microbes may produce antibiotics. This semester, I collected a soil sample from my own backyard to study and to search for new antibiotics. After plating my soil sample, I began to look for bacteria that inhibited the growth of surrounding bacteria (zones of inhibition). I then isolated candidate bacteria from the soil sample and noted the colony morphology. Next, I tested my candidates against the lab safe relatives to the 6 ESKAPE Pathogens. ESKAPE Pathogens are organisms that pose a major threat because they are hard to treat and are known for their ability to be resistant to antibiotics. I then isolated a candidate bacterium that exhibited antibiotic-producing characteristics. I will identify and characterize my candidate bacterium by PCR and sequencing, staining and microscopic analysis, and biochemical testing. From this research, I hope to contribute a new antibiotic to the field of antibiotic research while decreasing the threat of antibiotic resistant pathogens.
Comments
The faculty supervisor for this project was Jon Kniss