Honors Thesis Archive

AuthorClaire DeWeese
TitleDevelopment of a Model for Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance in E. coli
DepartmentChemistry
AdvisorDaniel Marous
Year2022
HonorsUniversity Honors
Full TextView Thesis (543 KB)
AbstractAccording to the CDC, in the United States, about 3 million antibiotic resistant infections occur each year with 35,000 deaths from bacterial infections. The large quantity of antibiotics that are prescribed to patients increases the ability of bacteria to develop this resistance, especially when patients do not complete their full course of medication. With the development of bacterial resistance becoming a global phenomenon, it is crucial that the public become more educated on this issue. Toward this end, a method has been developed that demonstrates the growth of antibiotic resistance and could be incorporated into a high school or undergraduate laboratory curriculum. This lab experience would be ideal for students who are considering a medical or scientific research career, allowing them to witness resistance firsthand. It would also serve to educate other individuals, making them aware of the general issues associated with bacterial resistance. Over the course of a week, resistance is gradually evolved in E. coli. The students would then determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of the resistant strain and compare their value to the wildtype level.

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