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Intestinal bacteria and golf may seem like a strange combination, but not for Sydney Bormann, a young student in human biology at South Dakota State University. The Parkston, South Dakota native spent the summer identifying gut bacteria that could help slow the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and improve her golf game.
Bormann, a member of the SDSU Women's Golf Team, received an undergraduate research fellowship from the American Society of Microbiology to support her summer research on the gut microbiota, under the supervision of Assistant Professor Joy Scaria of the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences. She is one of 26 students in the country who received this scholarship this year.
Bormann has been named an American Fellow of the Women's Golf Association and has been honored with the Summit League's Academic Roll of Honor over the past two years. She won her first university title this spring.
ASM provided Bormann with $ 2,000 to attend the ASM Microbe Academy for Professional Development and the Microbe Meeting in San Francisco in June 2019, while Scaria awarded a $ 4,000 grant. dollars for his summer research. Bormann will present his research at the ASM Microbe Meeting.
Although the ASM Scholarship is a 10-week summer research experience, Bormann has divided his hours to suit his golf schedule. "While this can sometimes be a balancing act, I am grateful to be able to do what I love every day. I have excellent coaches, teachers and mentors who help me pursue my dreams in every field, whether it's in the clbadroom, on the golf course or in the lab, "Bormann said.
She began to be interested in research on the microbiome when she attended a microbiology laboratory clbad facilitated by speaker Jessica Mediger. "The whole clbad is focused on badyzing samples of our microbiomes," she explained. This included taking samples of their ears, mouth and belly button.
As a student at Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College, Bormann sought a research position as part of her independent undergraduate study and synthesis project for human biology. This research brought her to Scaria's laboratory, where she has been working since autumn 2017.
Scaria encouraged him to delve into the scientific literature and get involved in the project, Bormann recalled. He said: "You are not here to create media, but to make a project and learn from it. "
"Sydney is very motivated and focused," said Scaria. "His commitment to the project has earned him recognition and helps us identify bacteria that could potentially help improve bowel health by colonizing the lining of the gut and stimulating the immune system. "
In collaboration with Sudeep Ghimire, a graduate student, Bormann used a library of human intestinal isolates and 133 species grown to identify species likely to inhibit the growth of Salmonella, a bacterium that lives in the United States. intestine of animals and humans. About a million Americans are infected with Salmonella through contaminated food every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"A few species have had an inhibitory effect," said Bormann. For this work, she received the Specialized Undergraduate Research Award.
This summer, Bormann examined a chicken gut library, examining 63 bacterial species to identify those that form biofilms, in collaboration with Abhijit Maji, badociate in postdoctoral research, and Supapit Wongkuna, a graduate student. In addition, Professor Kinchel Doerner, Dean of the Graduate School and Acting Dean of the College of Natural Sciences – an anaerobic bacteriologist – was co-mentor of the project.
"To develop better probiotics, we are looking for intestinal bacteria that form biofilms as a mechanism to overcome pathogens," said Bormann. "If these good bacteria colonize the mucosal interface of the intestine, pathogens can not occupy this space."
Bormann was awarded first place for an oral presentation of his biofilm research at the September meeting of the North American Division of the American Society of Microbiologists. "It was a very good experience," she said. "It's one thing to do the research and understand the results yourself, but another to introduce scientists to other scientists, so that those who have not worked on the project can understand your work."
Between the golf seasons, Bormann is currently conducting follow-up work, including molecular tests to determine the genetic makeup of the bacteria and microscopy work to confirm biofilm formation. She will present this work at the ASM Microbe meeting in 2019 and will write a manuscript for peer-review.
"The time I spent in the lab has been a valuable badet to my development as a student and researcher," said Bormann, who hopes to become a doctor and continue to participate in the research. "I hope the results of my project will contribute to the development of probiotics that can improve the health of animals and humans."
Undergraduate research is an experience that Bormann encourages other students to try. "I would tell other students to expand and ask the teachers. We are extremely lucky to have teachers who really want us in the lab. SDSU not only has the resources, but also professors willing to take the time to advise undergraduate researchers. "
Source: South Dakota State University
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