This fall, Linfield College biology students found themselves digging in dirt.
First-year students looked for new antibiotics in bacteria taken from Yamhill County soil during the Small World Initiative, an innovative undergraduate research collaborative run by the Yale University Center for Scientific Teaching. Linfield is one of 59 institutions involved in the project.
The goal is to find new bacteria that produce antibiotics, while immersing students in research, according to Jeremy Weisz, assistant professor of biology, who initiated the curriculum at Linfield.
“The idea is to get as much manpower as possible,” said Weisz. “You can get literally thousands of students around the world looking in their backyards for new bacteria.”
The six-week project presents a unique combination of science education, scientific research and science diplomacy. Using authentic scientific research as a driver, the initiative focuses on addressing a worldwide health threat, the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics.
Weisz said students were enthusiastic about the chance to contribute to a larger project. “And we’re very happy with the lab skills they learned and their ability to ask questions,” he added.
Students paired up to collect dirt samples using plastic spoons to fill the 50 ML tube (about ¼ cup). They also collected temperature and weather measurements, and recorded the sample’s GPS location. Most samples were taken from the local area.
Back in the lab, they put the soil samples on petri plates and let them grow. Within days, they had plates full of bacteria, and through a series of experiments, they went on to identify strains that produced antibiotics. Bacteria that are new to science will be sent to Yale for further testing.
Learn more about the Linfield College Department of Biology.
