LANCASTER, Pa. - David Bowne, visiting assistant professor of biology at Franklin & Marshall College, and Debra Wohl, assistant professor of biology at Elizabeth town College, have received a Student Challenge Awards Program Grant by the international organization, Earthwatch Institute. The $15,000 grant, will be used to lead a two-week research expedition this summer. The grant will fund eight high school students from across the country, who will conduct research with Drs. Bowne and Wohl in Lancaster County. The project, titled "Mapping Bacteria Across a Landscape" is designed to determine and explain the spatial distribution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Sampling sites will be located throughout Lancaster County. "The rapid evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is one of the most pressing public health problems in the nation," said Bowne. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 70 percent of the bacteria that cause hospital-acquired infections are resistant to at least one commonly prescribed drug. The fight against antibiotic resistance is primarily focused in clinical settings, however antibiotic-resistant bacteria are also found in the environment. According to Bowne, intense use of antibiotics as a preventative measure in livestock feed has contributed to this pool of resistance, and naturally occurring resistance also stems from microbes in the environment because one microbial species may evolve resistance to an antibiotic secreted by another species. While much environmental research on antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been performed in aquatic systems, soil is increasingly being investigated as a unique reservoir of resistance as well. Bowne and Wohl's research will be the first to examine large-scale distribution of antibiotic resistance in E. coli-inhabiting soil. "We will determine if antibiotic resistance is uniformly distributed across an agricultural county in southeastern Pennsylvania, or if spatial variation exists," wrote Bowne and Wohl in their project abstract. "If spatial variation exists, we will determine the reasons for this variation by analyzing small-scale (such as presence of soil metals) and large-scale (such as land use) variables that may contribute to antibiotic resistance. These data will provide baseline information for state health and environmental departments and insight into the factors that contribute to spatial patterns of antibiotic resistance." Bowne and Wohl are currently seeking permission for students to collect about 250 soil samples at randomly selected sites throughout
County. Their findings could potentially lead to new policies concerning antibiotic use, control of metal pollution, or increased monitoring for resistant bacteria. In addition, local communities will benefit from an increased understanding of the local public health implications of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The policy implications are strong enough that both the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Department of Environmental Protection have both expressed interest in the project. The research project will also provide a unique learning opportunity for the high school students chosen to participate. "Within a single project, students will span biological levels of organization from cells to landscape ecology, traverse spatial scales from the microscopic to the geographic, learn laboratory techniques from classic microbiology to soil analyses, and analyze findings with geographic information systems," said Wohl. "Biology undergraduates are fortunate if they graduate with this range of experiences; these students will receive it in two weeks." Bowne earned his doctorate in environmental sciences from the University of Virginia in 2002. He has extensive teaching, service, and research experience with GIS. In addition to using GIS in his own research, he has offered seminars to community members, faculty members, and high school students while serving as the GIS specialist at the University of Richmond. Wohl earned her doctorate in ecology from the University of Georgia. She studies the interactions of microbes in the environment and teaches courses in microbiology, microbial ecology and pathogenic microbiology. Wohl was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to develop courses in microbiology for high school and college students. Earthwatch Institute is an international non-profit organization that brings science to life for people concerned about the Earth's future. Founded in 1971, Earthwatch supports scientific field research by offering volunteers the opportunity to join research teams around the world. This unique model is creating a systematic change in how the public views science and its role in environmental sustainability.
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