Michael J. Fyfe

Background/Objectives: Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) represent a form of student crowdsourcing in which individuals perform authentic discovery-based research in a class setting with interest to outside stakeholders. Here, the renowned Tiny Earth (TE) CURE is being utilized to teach microbiology and perform natural product discovery research by students in the course. Methods: In our TE CURE, students collect soil samples from their hometown and characterize bacteria that can inhibit plant and animal pathogens. This unique growing collection of isolates from across Ohio has provided opportunities to facilitate drug discovery and establish biotechnology collaborations. Results: In this study, we describe two outcomes using our environmental strain collection that initiated biotechnology collaborations and identified bacterial candidates for drug discovery. Results from one project led to a partnership with an aquaculture company. A novel biosynthetic gene cluster involved in antagonistic activity was identified, whose product inhibits Aeromonas pathogens, which cause disease in freshwater fish. The other project involves a collaboration with a global commercial cleaning and equipment company to identify lipase activity among Bacillus strains for its potential use in bioremediation. Conclusions: The unique strain collection generated by students in the CURE led to collaboration with biotechnology companies, which contributed to natural product discovery of an antimicrobial product and active enzymatic activity, all of which benefit education and scientific discovery.

Material testing, particularly in biological applications, can be an extensive endeavor leading to a significant investment of resources. This article details a simple material and coating testing assay series that provides insights into leaching, antibacterial, antifouling, and foul-release characteristics. The results of these methods can guide future research, applications, and development efforts by providing data from which to make informed decisions. A material or coating can be quickly assessed in industrial and academic settings with minimal resources by employing a set of benign, single-species direct-contact toxicity assays and simple spectroscopic and microscopic analysis methods. Herein, we demonstrate how this series of biological assays may be utilized and the potential interpretations of the results by using two-hybrid organo-silicon-based coatings.