Microbiology Commons^™

Assessing The Influence Of Temperature And Water Level On Gill Disease In Goldfish, Moses Elijah Cadawas, Emmalie Turner, Darlene Panvini

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Gill disease in fish is a strong biological indicator of water quality and environmental stress. These diseases are commonly caused by bacterial or parasitic infections that target gill tissues and can lead to severe physiological impairment and ultimately mortality. Several environmental factors, including water level and temperature, play a critical role in determining fish susceptibility to these infections. Changes in these conditions can act as stressors that weaken immune defenses and promote pathogen proliferation. This study aimed to evaluate the relative impact of environmental stressors on the development of gill-associated disease in Carassius auratus (goldfish) under controlled conditions. Following exposure …

Enhancing Urban Garden Capacity By Linking Biodiversity And Ecosystem Function, Mary T. Nguyen, Carleen Rauh, Shelby Gresch, Charlotte Correiro, Heidi Elmendorf, Adriane Fugh-Berman, Gina Wimp, Alexandra L. Decandia

Virginia Journal of Science

Urban agriculture broadly describes food and plant cultivation in metropolitan areas. While biodiversity is thought to support ecosystem health and resilience, the relationship between above-ground and below-ground diversity has been understudied in urban green spaces. This study examines plant, animal, bacterial, and fungal diversity across three distinct urban habitats: a turf lawn, a forb garden, and a farming space. Using bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS2 sequencing, soil nutrient analyses, and surveys of vegetation and wildlife, we connect diverse philosophies in urban agriculture to their role in advancing community diversity and ecosystem function. We found that different urban gardens support …

Life Line Spring 2026, Jonathan Atwood

Life Line - The Biology Department Newsletter

In This Issue:

Greetings and Farewell: Part Deux; Signs for Trees; Passing of Dr. Mary Gahbauer: a Beloved Friend and Colleague; Dr. Lisa Marr Retires; The Department Welcomes Dr. Ann Feke; Dr. Kevin Svitana Retires; Ms. Donna Rhodeback Retires; Tucker Adds Swan Specimen to Otterbein's Collection; An UnbeLEAFable Year for the Otterbein Chapter of Botanical Society of America; Field Geology Course Visits Death Valley and Beyond; Agar Art: An Unexpected Canvas; Dr. Kevin Svitana Wins the Anderson Award for Outstanding Contribution to Groundwater Research; Introducing Opi: A New Face for Zoo and Conservation Ambassador Work; Michael Hoggarth, Professor Emeritus, Wins …

Imidacloprid Effects On The Survival And Cutaneous Microbiome Of Northern Leopard Frogs, Evelyn Margaret Osterloo

Honors Thesis

Amphibians are experiencing population declines due to habitat loss, climate change, and diseases, particularly chytridiomycosis caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Protection from this fungal infection stems from the cutaneous microbiome. Pesticides have been shown to affect amphibians in a variety of ways, including reducing survival, locomotor performance, and accumulation in body tissues. Pesticides may also lead to changes in the cutaneous microbiome affecting amphibians who rely on these organisms as an anti-Bd defense mechanism. To investigate the effect of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, Northern Leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens) were subjected to sublethal concentrations (control = …

Quantifying The Antifungal Properties Of Bacteria Using Cotton Strips, Lily Lofton

Honors Theses

Many bacteria have been known to have antifungal properties. Research has begun to determine how these bacteria can be used to protect cotton and other cellulose-rich textiles. In the present study, standardized cotton strips were inoculated with two different bacterial consortia that have exhibited anti-fungal properties. These strips were then inoculated with the melanized cellulolytic fungi, Chaetomium globosum and Rhinocladiella similis. Similarly, some cotton strips were also inoculated with a non-melanized fungus, Rhodotorula toruloides, which is also thought to be cellulolytic. The tensile strength of cotton strips was measured along with the ergosterol concentrations (fungal biomass) for each cotton strip …

Role Of Listeria Adhesion Protein In Monocyte-Associated And Extracellular Translocation Of Listeria Monocytogenes Across The In Vitro Placental Barrier Co-Culture Model, Ayesha Atique

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular foodborne pathogen capable of crossing the placental barrier, leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal sepsis, and has a fetal/neonatal fatality rate of ~20–30%. Although the importance of canonical virulence factors such as Internalin A (InlA) and Internalin B (InlB) in L. monocytogenes crossing of the placental barrier has been demonstrated, clinical strains lacking functional canonical internalins have been reported to cause severe neonatal disease, suggesting additional mechanisms of placental translocation.

To investigate these virulence mechanisms, we adapted a physiologically relevant co-culture human placental barrier Transwell model composed of BeWo trophoblasts and primary human placental …

Evolution Of Antibiotic Responses During Chronic P. Aeruginosa Infections In The Human Lung, David Frank Ritz

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Typical antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) of microbial samples is performed in homogeneous cultures in batch environments, which does not account for the highly heterogeneous and dynamic nature of antibiotic responses. The most common mutation found in P. aeruginosa lineages evolved during chronic cystic fibrosis infections in the human lung, a loss of function of repressor MexZ, increases basal levels of multidrug efflux MexXY, but does not increase resistance by traditional minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays. Here, we use single cell microfluidics to show that P. aeruginosa’s response to aminoglycosides is highly heterogeneous, with only a subpopulation of cells surviving exposure. …

Effects Of “Zero Sugar” Energy Drinks On Microbial Proliferation In Relation To The Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Madison Hines

Honors Theses

Energy drinks have rapidly increased in popularity and availability in recent years. With the rise of high-caffeine beverages, complications due to caffeine consumption have become more common in younger populations. The aim of this study was to use controlled laboratory methods to determine the effect of energy drinks on a variety of organisms commonly found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The diverse and dynamic nature of microbes in the gut makes conditions of the GI tract difficult to replicate in a laboratory setting. As an alternative, isolates of bacteria commonly found as normal flora in the GI tract were plated …

Effect Of Novel Antimicrobial Compounds On Fungal And Bacterial Pathogens, Megan Wilderman

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern in medicine¹ leading to a need for the development of novel compounds. Two compounds were tested in this study, 2-hydroxyethylhydrazine (HEH) and para-nitrophenyl-isocyanide (NPIC). HEH targets phosphatidylcholine (PC) production², and NPIC targets mitochondrial function³. Choline (Cho) is a compound that bypasses the inhibition of HEH through the Kennedy pathway.² Two-fold serial dilutions were conducted in 96-well plates to test the sensitivity of different bacteria to HEH and fungi to HEH and NPIC in different media types. A choline condition was also included in the HEH dilutions to test …

In Vitro And In Silico Analysis Of The Antibacterial Activity Of Bioactive Compounds Extracted From Pineapple Peel, Wafa Mohammad Sadik, Iman Tajer Abdullah, Lana Abed Alnajar

Makara Journal of Science

Antibiotic resistance is a critical global challenge that requires the discovery of alternative therapeutic agents. Plants -derived compounds, such as those found in Ananas comosus (pineapple)peel, offer promising antibacterial potential. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of pineapple peel extract using both in vitro and in silico approaches. Ethanolic extracts of pineapple peel were fractionated using silica gel chromatography, and the resulting fractions were analyzed by GC-MS. Antibacterial activity was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens using the agar well diffusion method, and the inhibition zones were recorded. Molecular docking was performed to assess the interaction of identified …

Assessment Of Fecal Indicator Bacteria And Vendors' Handling Practices For Safety Of Salads And Raw Leafy Vegetables In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Gloria B. Mrisho, Thomas J. Lyimo, Godwill D. Mrema

Tanzania Journal of Science

Fresh leafy vegetables have gained popularity in Tanzanian cities due to their nutritional benefits and increased promotion by health practitioners. Assessment of their microbiological quality and safety is essential for determination of associated health risks. This study enumerated Fecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB) for determination of microbiological quality and safety of fresh leafy vegetable salads sold by street vendors and raw leafy vegetables obtained from Sinza market in Dar es Salaam. Handling practices, awareness and consumer satisfaction on the safety of leafy vegetable salads was also assessed among salad street vendors and consumers. Samples were collected from four stations and analyzed …

Norfolk Flooding And Its Effect On Nutrient And Enterococcus Levels, Malachi R. Stephens

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Tidal flooding is common in the City of Norfolk, VA due to high rates of sea rise in the region, as well as the region’s subsidence. This has led to increases in flooding at high tide, especially during the spring tide portion of the tidal cycle.  At high tide water from the Elizabeth and Lafayette Rivers can flood the landscape directly or can rise out of storm drains. This floodwater often stays on land for long periods of time and can deliver contaminants back into the rivers. To determine the amounts of nutrients and Enterococcus, a fecal indicator, delivered to …

Methane Consumption Rates By Coastal Virginia Beach Microbes, James R. Bailey Ii

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

This study measures whether microbial communities in the shallow coastal waters of Virginia Beach are capable of consuming methane in the water column. Using methane enrichment incubations and gas chromatography, we found no measurable methane oxidation of our samples over multi-day periods. These results suggest that these coastal waters may act as net sources of atmospheric methane.

Bio 230 - Microbiology, Sarah Moroianu

Open Educational Resources

This open educational resource (OER) syllabus is designed for BIO 230: Microbiology at Lehman College, City University of New York (CUNY), a single-semester introductory microbiology course for non-biology majors such as Nursing, Dietetics, Health Education, and Physical Education. The course reviews microbial structure, metabolism, genetics, and microbial ecology, with applied emphasis on infectious disease, antimicrobial drugs, host immune defenses, and microbial diseases. The syllabus aligns course content with the freely available OpenStax Microbiology textbook (Parker et al., CC BY 4.0) and reflects accessibility best practices consistent with CUNY guidelines.

Best Integrated Writing Spring 2026 - Complete Edition, Wright State University School Of Humanities And Cultural Studies, Tracy Smith, Kristie Mckiernan

Best Integrated Writing

Best Integrated Writing includes excellent student writing from Integrated Writing courses taught at Wright State University.

Bacteriophage Therapy For Antibiotic-Resistant Infections, Shiva Pariyar

Best Integrated Writing

Pariyar examines bacteriophage therapy as a promising alternative to antibiotics for treating multidrug-resistant infections, highlighting its targeted mechanism, ability to disrupt biofilms, and synergy with antibiotics. While challenges such as regulation, immune response, and limited clinical trials remain, the study argues that advances in biotechnology and global collaboration position phage therapy as a future cornerstone in combating antimicrobial resistance.

Tlr3 Mediated Type I Interferon Response In Mammalian Cell Defense Against Cryptosporidium Parvum Infection., Anjelica Matias

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Cryptosporidium parvum is a major cause of a diarrheal disease which affects many children in the USA as well as the rest of the world, yet the contribution of its double stranded RNA (dsRNA) viral symbiont, Cryspovirus (CSpV1) to host innate immunity remains unclear. This study investigated whether CSpV1 activates Toll Like Receptor 3 (TLR3) signaling pathways and downstream Interferon type I (IFN I) responses in mammalian intestinal epithelial cells. Confluent Human Ileocecal Colorectal Adenocarcinoma cells (HCT8) were exposed to CSpV1, and the expression levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Factor 3 (TRAF3), Nuclear Factor-𝜅-light chain enhancer of activated B-cells …

Clay Minerals Do Not Influence Nitrous Oxide Production Via Denitrification In Simulated Oxygen Minimum Zones, Luke Rein

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

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It has been proposed that export of organic carbon from the epipelagic zone to the seafloor can be increased by the addition of 20 mg L^{-1 …}

Immunoregulatory Effects Of Choerospondias Axillaris (Roxb.) B.L.Burtt & A.W.Hill Fruit Extract In Mice With Insights On In Vitro Mechanism, Ravi Gautam, Anju Maharjan, Jaehee Lee, Sujeong Yang, Jihun Jo, Manju Acharya, Daeun Lee, Narayan Prasad Ghimire, Saroj Lamichhane, Byungsun Min, Changyul Kim, Hyoungah Kim, Yong Heo

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Lapsi (Choerospondias axillaris), a plant native to Nepal, has been traditionally used in Asian countries to treat cardiovascular conditions. However, its effects on immune regulatory function remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to in vivo evaluate the immunoregulatory properties of Lapsi fruit extract in mice on immunotoxic responses with analysis on in vitro mechanism for immune suppression, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response. Male Balb/c mice were intragastrically administered various doses of the extract for 21 days. In some mice, immune suppression was induced with cyclophosphamide, and subsequent immune recovery was assessed. In addition, RAW264.7 cells and THP-1-derived macrophages were …

Filifactor Alocis Disrupts Efferocytosis To Sustain Inflammation In Periodontitis, Ella Dye, Silvia Uriarte, Ruth Idowu

The Cardinal Edge

Background: Filifactor alocis is a Gram-positive, obligate anaerobe that has emerged as a diagnostic marker of periodontitis. Neutrophils and macrophages are key players in oral immune homeostasis. Neutrophils are short-lived cells and constitutively undergo apoptosis. This apoptotic program can be accelerated or delayed by bacterial interactions. Macrophages clear apoptotic neutrophils via “efferocytosis,” a crucial mechanism for resolving inflammation and preventing tissue damage. The efferocytic process downregulates the expression and release of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-23 while promoting anti-inflammatory responses. Our previous findings demonstrated that F. alocis delays neutrophil apoptosis, with fewer apoptotic cells observed after 18 …