In this course, students will learn aseptic techniques and apply them to the isolation of pure cultures of bacteria. Students will also perform various staining techniques and chemical tests to identify these bacteria. The response of bacteria to changes in environmental conditions will also be examined. This research addresses one of the most pressing global health challenges of our century—the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics. Students who enroll in this class will discover antibiotics from soil bacteria in their own backyards. Students will isolate, test and characterize environmental bacterial species during the semester. The techniques of this course will be taught in the context of this research project.
