Analysis of Antibiotic Producers from Spokane Soil Samples
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Suzanne Bassett
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
5-7-2025 9:00 AM
End Date
5-7-2025 11:00 AM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Biology
Abstract
SCC Research Club "EWU 2025 Poster" Abstract
Antibiotics and the bacteria from which they are derived are some of our most important and powerful medical resources. While antimicrobial/antibiotic-resistant strains of pathogens are growing in number, attributed to widespread and inappropriate use of antibiotics, investments in both research and production are declining worldwide. Lynn L Silver has coined the term ‘Discovery Void’ to describe the lack of innovation in the last half-century. Given the serious threat to public health, the importance of antibiotics to treat diseases, and the subsequent inevitability of novel strain resistance demanding a more diverse selection of antibiotics - we are participating in the “Tiny Earth Research Project.” As part of our research, we collected 15 soil samples and tested 24 bacterial isolates for antibiotic production. A method of turtle tracks was used to screen for the most promising antibiotic producers. The Gram-positive tester strains were Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, and the Gram-negative tester strain was Escherichia coli. We identified the best performing isolates using the 16S rRNA sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products.
Recommended Citation
Flagor-Marshall, Cole; Goncus, Brian; Brito, Denise; and Bassett, Suzanne PhD, "Analysis of Antibiotic Producers from Spokane Soil Samples" (2025). 2025 Symposium. 21.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2025/ps_2025/p1_2025/21
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Analysis of Antibiotic Producers from Spokane Soil Samples
PUB NCR
SCC Research Club "EWU 2025 Poster" Abstract
Antibiotics and the bacteria from which they are derived are some of our most important and powerful medical resources. While antimicrobial/antibiotic-resistant strains of pathogens are growing in number, attributed to widespread and inappropriate use of antibiotics, investments in both research and production are declining worldwide. Lynn L Silver has coined the term ‘Discovery Void’ to describe the lack of innovation in the last half-century. Given the serious threat to public health, the importance of antibiotics to treat diseases, and the subsequent inevitability of novel strain resistance demanding a more diverse selection of antibiotics - we are participating in the “Tiny Earth Research Project.” As part of our research, we collected 15 soil samples and tested 24 bacterial isolates for antibiotic production. A method of turtle tracks was used to screen for the most promising antibiotic producers. The Gram-positive tester strains were Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, and the Gram-negative tester strain was Escherichia coli. We identified the best performing isolates using the 16S rRNA sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products.
Comments
SCC Research Club 2025 Poster for EWU