Summer Research: 2025

Addressing Antibiotic Resistance

Students used primary literature to identify a research question and hypothesis that they used to choose a local soil sample to perform experiments about antibiotic resistance. The data generated from these experiments were reviewed and entered into the antimicrobial resistance database maintained by Tufts University.

The World Health Organization recognizes antibiotic resistance as one of the top global public health threats. Goal 2 of the current National Action Plan recommends strengthening screening for antibiotic resistance. Students contribute to this goal by using environmental DNA extraction and PCR methodology to screen local soil samples for antibiotic resistance genes.

Sample Student Data in the Antibiotic Resistance Database at Tuft's University

Feedback from Dr. Bascom-Slack, Tufts University School of Medicine, about student data in the antibiotic resistance database

I think it is fantastic that your students did some research of the existing literature to make a determination about what (new to us) resistance genes to look for (in addition to tetracycline resistance genes), determined appropriate amplification conditions and primers based on their literature search. Importantly, it is such a great learning experience that you asked them to use existing data in the literature to form hypotheses about collection sites that might be expected to harbor sulfonamide resistance. The results certainly proved interesting with sul2 gene amplification detected in drainage systems. Also, exploration of the known correlation between heavy metal resistance and antimicrobial resistance through PARE is very interesting to us. We have a few other groups interested in heavy metal resistance.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Skills

  • Using biology to address societal challenge

  • Using primary literature to formulate research question and hypothesis

  • Experiment design-thinking, implementation and troubleshooting

  • Data analysis

  • Incorporation of professional feedback

  • Presentation

• Subject Knowledge

  • Evolution, molecular biology, biotechnology and public health

• Techniques

  • DNA extraction: microcentrifuge-based affinity and ion-exchange chromatography

  • PCR, primer design and gel electrophoresis