Digging Into Discovery: ACC Biology Honors Students Explore Nature’s Antibiotic Arsenal

This fall, the ACC Biology Honors Research team took their curiosity into the wild—literally. Venturing into the Backcountry Wilderness Area, an 8,200-acre protected habitat, our students collected soil samples as part of a cutting-edge research initiative.

Their mission? To uncover naturally occurring multidrug-resistant pathogens—a growing global health threat.

By isolating and identifying soil microbes, students are testing antibiotic potentiators—compounds that boost the effectiveness of existing antibiotics on these multidrug resistant pathogens. This hands-on research gives students the chance to contribute to real-world solutions in the fight against antibiotic resistance, right from the Colorado soil beneath their boots.

The team is now analyzing samples and preparing to test for resistance profiles and potentiator activity. Who knows? The next breakthrough in medicine might be hiding in our own backyard.
 
Mentors: Dr. Nia Bauer, Professor Ryan LaRue, and Violeta Mendoza Martinez