Small World: Uintah Basin Aggies Address Antibiotic Health Crisis
First-year biology students at Utah State University Uintah Basin are receiving authentic research and presentation experience as part of a global community of undergraduate researchers. Through the Yale University-based Small World Initiative, the Aggies are contributing to efforts aimed at addressing the world’s diminishing supply of effective antibiotics.
“Students are learning first-hand about the big ideas in biology,” says Lianna Etchberger, associate professor of biology at USU Uintah Basin, who led 14 undergrads this fall in research to discover new antibiotics that may be effective against increasingly frequent multi-drug-resistant pathogens.
Etchberger’s students collected soil samples and antibiotic-producing microbes from the Vernal area and uploaded collected data to a central database. With SWI participants around the world, the Aggies are comparing results from other locations and seeking new antibodies.
“The students are connecting biology concepts to the soil bacteria they’re characterizing,” Etchberger says. “By offering this experience early in their education, we hope to retain these students in science and encourage them to pursue biology-related fields.”
The project, she says, provides hands-on learning in the scientific process, record-keeping, producing and analyzing data – all key components in preparation for more advanced study and careers in biology.
“It is truly an honor to be part of an initiative that could have such a resounding impact on global health,” says USU Uintah Basin Dean Boyd Edwards. “One of our goals is to provide our students with real-world experiences to build their resumes, and this project is a seamless fit.”
Etchberger’s students presented their findings Dec. 3, during a public symposium on the Vernal campus.
“Public events such as the symposium provide students with an opportunity to gain practice experience in articulating their research,” Etchberger says. “This is a valuable activity for every scientist.”
SWI includes 61 partnering instructors at 59 institutions across the globe. The research collaboration’s objectives, according to its website, are to encourage students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees and gain relevant, discovery-based research experiences.
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Contact: Lianna Etchberger, 435-722-1783, lianna.etchberger@usu.edu
Writer: Dana Rhoades, 435-722-1788, dana.romney@usu.edu
Students in the class of USU Uintah Basin biologist Lianna Etchberger, second from right, raise their petri dishes. As part of a global undergrad research initiative, the Aggies are seeking new antibodies to combat drug-resistant bacteria.
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