Research on antibiotic-producing bacteria in Irish soil

Abstract

For the past decade, the School of Microbiology of University College Cork has conducted an annual project with Antibiotics Unearthed, which aims to isolate and study antibiotic-producing bacteria from soil environments. The Small World Initiative and Tiny Earth Project were established globally in 2015 to encourage biologists and STEM students to participate in active research against infectious diseases and aid in antibiotic discovery. Both programs aim to integrate student learning into fields of research that address the crisis of dwindling supply of antibiotics.

The Microbiology society within the EU established Antibiotics Unearthed, inspired by Small World Initiative, to provide training and support in order to continue this important research and raise awareness about AMR. This project was conducted over the course of 6-8 weeks of research at a third-year undergraduate level. This poster presents data from 3 out of over 40 students on a small-scale research project.