Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Researchers, science historians, students and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Via numerous conference and public speaking engagements. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The American public's perceptions of the development of microbiology are often considered to be based on European public health systems. In contrast, there are a range of important American programs which led to quite startling medical and practical advances. Early American philosophers (Franklin, Paine and Washington) influenced pioneering activities in microbiology (a new idea). The roles of soil microbes in biomass turn over and in enhancing soil fertility were established through the early studies of Lipman, Waksman and Starkey at Rutgers in the early twentieth century. The discovery of the Actinomycetes as a source of antibiotics dramatically changed the world health picture. The discovery of the actinomycete antibiotics offered a new armamentarium against pathogens unaffected by penicillin, such as those causing cholera and typhoid. Furthermore, tuberculosis appeared conquered. Additionally, the prophylactic use of antibiotics in surgery has allowed complex operations in hospitals that could not have been envisioned in earlier days. The dramatic entry into medicine of these broadly effective actinomycete antibiotics gave the world hope to cure disease, providing a major conceptual leap forward that turned the medical world topsy-turvy. This project sets these advances in perspective in the public eye, highlighting the American scientific historical bases. The objective of this project is to ensure that this American advance should be brought to public notice. We have made several advances in this regard over the last few years. The early studies in soil microbiology at Rutgers resulted in the conceptual understanding of the role of microbes in the soil, coincidentally leading to the development of the fledgling antibiotic industry (the discovery of streptomycin). Consequently came the development of more selective isolation of unique microbial cultures. The soil microbiological studies have continued to be extended including the potential of microbes as producers of antibiotics and their application in converting biomass as an energy resource. Rutgers streptomycin, the world's second major antibiotic discovered following penicillin, transformed world medicine while setting the importance of the major agricultural role of soil microbes in true perspective. These soil microbiological studies have a broad base and international overtones. Specific scientific and outreach efforts related to our project objectives include: The opening (2008) of a permanent exhibit, Selman Waksman: "Out of the earth shall come thy salvation" at the Library of Science and Medicine, Busch Campus, Rutgers University. [Member of the exhibit team]. Eveleigh, D. E.]. Initiation of a Thai-American Soil - Biomass Study program with Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. The focus has been on a more rarely studied fungal group, resupinate white rot basidiomycetes. Useful lignin degrading strains have been isolated and their characterization is being detailed. These new isolates have broad potential applications ranging from novel antibiotics to the conversion of agricultural biomass into energy reserves. Resupinate basidiomycete are fungi that are particularly difficult identify. In order to prevent duplication of research it was appropriate to initially characterize these new strains. Focus has been to compare molecular biological characterization approaches with the classical systems. Novel xylanases were found which could be of interest to the biomass conversion component of the study. A symposium "Soils Microbial Miracles". A Symposium, at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), Rutgers University, December 11th - 12th, 2012. The Symposium addressed the history of the discovery of the Waksman antibiotics, current antibiotic research, the status of tuberculosis today and impacts, and of the development of medical ecology. Tuberculosis TB remains the largest killer in the world from a single infectious agent. Lee Reichman and Barry Kreiswirth illustrated the current world status of TB and the international programs that are involved in stemming its spread. H. Boyd Woodruff as the remaining member of the original Waksman antibiotic team alive, gave keen perspectives of the Waksman Antibiotic laboratory. Arnold Demain (Drew University) reflected on the accomplishments of Selman Waksman while also noting the status of today's antibiotic industry. Several speakers addressed novel approaches to the discovery of further antitubercular antibiotics. A central legacy of Waksman and Rutgers is that streptomycin was the first effective drug towards tuberculosis, with Waksman's breakthrough of the discovery of broad-spectrum antibiotics dramatically changing the approaches to treatment of world diseases. In spite of the illustration at this Symposium of a variety of advance, there needs to be greater attention and resources including the development of an effective vaccine to address the current global situation which remains a daunting health crisis. The Waksman Museum, located on the Cook Campus of Rutgers University at the site of discovery of the Streptomycete strains that produced streptomycin, was enlarged and redesigned to enhance the outreach to the public of Rutgers role in the development of the world's antibiotics. Promotion of the role of George Washington and Thomas Paine in illustrating that marsh gas was flammable - a forerunner to today's methane used in heating. The methane is a microbial product produced through the activities of bacteria in muds. Promotion of the role of George Washington in promoting variolation, a forerunner of the great medical advance of vaccination. Promotion of Benjamin Franklin’s observations and subsequent deductions regarding the role of salt in the preservation of wooden ships. These and other contributions were researched and highlighted in presentations at professional conferences and other venues.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Crane, Sharron, Kathleen Bongco, Lara Agnew, Jenifar Patel, Georgen Charnes, Edith Andrews, Ginger Andrews, Diane Holdgate and Douglas Eveleigh 2013.
Soil microbes and their diversity (talk) 5th Biennial Nantucket Biodiversity Initiative Research Conference, Nantucket, MA Saturday 11/02/2013 Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, Nantucket Historical Association, Nantucket; Maria Department of Public Works and the Maria Mitchell Association. (Nov 1, 2013).
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Eveleigh, D.E. 2013. The discovery of streptomycin: Selman Waksman and Albert Schatz Measure not the work until days out and the labour done. then bring your gauges . E.B. Browning. Medical History Society of New Jersey, Nassau Club, Princeton, NJ. (Oct, 2, 2013)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Eveleigh, D.E. , 2013. Dabbling with Deconstruction & Dinosaurs. 2013 Gordon Conference: Cellulosomes, Cellulases & Other Carbohydrate Modifying Enzymes Proctor Academy, Andover, NH August 8, 2013
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Eveleigh, D. E. 2013. Cellulase-the greatest show on earth (Banquet speaker). 35th Symposium - Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology - SIMB). April 29-May 2, Portland, OR
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Eveleigh, D. E. 2013. Rutgers streptomycin, the first anti-tuberculous antibiotic: fermenting from bench to Nobel prize. Symposium. Rutgers and Tuberculosis, The Legacy: Past, Present and Future 20th Anniversary of the Global Tuberculosis Institute, The International Center for Public Health. Rutgers, Newark, NJ (Dec 17, 2013)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
The First American Microbiological Experiment: the George Washington and Thomas Paine Demonstration that the Marsh Will-O-the-Wisp was due to a Flammable Gas.
P. Anderson, T. Barkay, T. Chase Jr., D. Davis, G. Davis, J. Dietz, D. Eveleigh, Z. Freedman, I. Gray, M. H�ggblom, S. Crane-Hicks, A. Isola, H. Liu, K. Maguire, A. Marinucci, A. Patel, C. Phelps, S. Rawat, M. Spero, G. Swiatek, C. Vetriani, C. Villano, & L. Young.
Poster: American Society for General Microbiology General Meeting, Boston, May 2014.
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The American public's perceptions of the development of medicine are often considered based on European public health systems. However there were a variety of critical American initiatives which gave dramatic world health advances. The objective of this project is to ensure that this American advance should be brought to public notice. This year we have focused on the discovery of the Rutgers antibiotics (streptomycin, actinomycin and neomycin) especially so with the 60th anniversary of the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology, 1952, awarded to Selman Waksman. Rutgers celebrated through an international symposium PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Dissemination was especially through presentation at a major international meeting at Rutgers at which a large audience attended (>200 participants) and also through the renovated Waksman Antibiotic Museum PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
This project has continually developed over several years. However it was highlighted this year through our symposium "Soils Microbial Miracles". A Symposium, at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), Rutgers University, December 11th - 12th, 2012. The Symposium addressed the history of the discovery of the Waksman antibiotics, current antibiotic research, the status of tuberculosis today and impacts, and of the development of medical ecology. Tuberculosis TB remains the largest killer in the world from a single infectious agent. Lee Reichman and Barry Kreiswirth illustrated the current world status of TB and the international programs that are involved in stemming its spread. H. Boyd Woodruff as the remaining member of the original Waksman antibiotic team alive, gave keen perspectives of the Waksman Antibiotic laboratory. Arnold Demain (Drew University) reflected on the accomplishments of Selman Waksman while also noting the status of today's antibiotic industry. Several speakers addressed novel approaches to the discovery of further antitubercular antibiotics. David Hopwood, who led the international team in the unraveling of the Streptomyces griseus genome, illustrated how study of such genomes has revealed an Aladdin's Cave of novel natural products. Richard Ebright addressed structural considerations of the ribosome in the design of novel antibiotics. Ann Stock approached finding of new classes of antibiotics through consideration of disruption of signaling proteins that regulate processes essential for virulence. J. Boyd in working with Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains also considered disruption of the bacterial metabolism but by modifying their essential iron sulfur complexes. Richard Baltz gave an industrial view of the use of combinatorial biosynthesis in the development of lipopeptide antibiotics related to daptomycin. Eva Top illustrated how the spread of antibiotic resistance is enabled by the very rapid horizontal transfer between bacteria of extra-chromosomal genetic elements (plasmids) that carry the resistance genes. Carl Zimmer summarized both good and bad effects of antibiotics with insights developed though consideration of the human microbial biome. A central legacy of Waksman and Rutgers is that streptomycin was the first effective drug towards tuberculosis, with Waksman's breakthrough of the discovery of broad-spectrum antibiotics dramatically changing the approaches to treatment of world diseases. In spite of the illustration at this Symposium of a variety of advances there needs to be greater attention and resources including the development of an effective vaccine to address the current global situation which remains a daunting health crisis. The Waksman Museum, the site of discovery of the Streptomycete strains that produced streptomycin, was enlarged and redesigned to enhance the outreach to the public of Rutgers role in the development of the world's antibiotics.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Outputs: The American public's perceptions of the development of microbiology are often considered to be based on European public health systems. In contrast, there are a range of important American programs which led to quite startling medical and practical advances. The objective of this project is to ensure that this American advance should be brought to public notice. We have made several advances in this regard over the last few years: promotion of the role of George Washington and Thomas Paine in illustrating that marsh gas was flammable - a forerunner to today's methane used in heating. The methane is a microbial product produced through the activities of bacteria in muds. A further advance was the role of George Washington in promoting variolation, a forerunner of the great medical advance of vaccination. Both of these advances were from studies in New Jersey. Additionally, Benjamin Franklin both observed and deduced the role of salt in the preservation of wooden ships. And a classic advance has been the role of Rutgers in the development of antibiotics worldwide, following the initial studies of penicillin. These studies by Selman Waksman did become well known and led to his award of the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology, 1952. This was an outcome of the development of soil microbiology in 1901 as a discipline by Jacob Lipman at Rutgers. We proposed streptomycin as one of the outstanding discoveries for consideration in the International Year of Chemistry, 2011 program .Each of these advances was given public outreach through two major presentations. PARTICIPANTS: D. E. Eveleigh, J. Bennett, D. Pramer. TARGET AUDIENCES: Dissemination has been through presentation at national meetings which included a diverse international audience PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Outcomes/Impacts: Though the advances per se have been recorded in our prior studies, there remains the need to gain greater public appreciation of the advances. This was advanced considerably through presentation of two major national talks. The methane experiment included a small video of the recreation of the "Methane flash". The variolation was presented through consideration of the first events at the Old Barracks in Trenton NJ. The Franklin observation of the inhibition by salt was boosted by our suggestion this year that the lack of major rotting of the Cutty Sark (Greenwich, UK) was in part due to current salting of the decks to prevent visitors slipping on any ice. The appreciation was of high interest, noting that the Cutty Sark holds a revered status in Britain equivalent to that for the U.S.S Constitution. The historical context was particularly apparent in that the Cutty Sark is currently undergoing a 2.6 million dollar refurbishing. Wood rot was high on the agenda. The prior antibiotic studies were further boosted by consideration of the development of shaking machines for the cultivation of microbes that led to higher antibiotic yields developed in part at Rutgers, and also recognition of Streptomycin in the web-based initiative"365: Chemistry of Life" in the International Year of Chemistry, 2011. A presentation to about 600 microbiologists at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology in New Orleans, and a second presentation to an international audience at the Gordon Conference on Applied and Environmental Microbiology elicited considerable feedback from both groups, with comment that these studies gave greater understanding of how such early scientific beginnings led to the preeminence of today's American agriculture and medicine.
Publications
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The early studies in soil microbiology at Rutgers resulted in the conceptual understanding of the role of microbes in the soil, coincidentally leading to the development of the fledgling antibiotic industry (the discovery of streptomycin). Consequently came the development of more selective isolation of unique microbial cultures. The soil microbiological studies have continued to be extended including the potential of microbes as producers of antibiotics and their application in converting biomass as an energy resource. In these regards we have developed international program with Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand using Thai molds. One, Aureobasidium pullulans show diverse forms some of which produce polysaccharides and also antibiotic compounds. A further study of diverse Thai microbes in a bioenergy project (biofuel from agricultural biomass) has brought to the fore relatively unstudied mushrooms - resupinate white rot basidiomycetes. Potentially useful lignin degrading strains have been isolated and being characterized and xylanases found. The death of a co-founder of the New Brunswick Scientific Company David Freedman, brought to focus the early shakers used in the Rutgers antibiotic production in the 1940s and these developments were reviewed. PARTICIPANTS: D. E. Eveleigh, D. Y. Kobayashi, J. Bennett, D. Pramer, R. Sullivan (Rutgers University), T. Leathers, S. Peterson, C. Kurtzman, C. Dunlap, K. Vermillion (USDA, Peoria), P. Manitchopisit, P. Permpornsakul, P. Lotrakul, S. Prasongsuk, S. Rotjanaguso and H. Punnapayak (Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. TARGET AUDIENCES: Dissemination has been through presentation at national meetings plus publication for international microbiological audiences. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
In the continuation, this program of international outreach has resulted in the isolation of novel fungi from Thailand soils. These new isolates have broad potential applications ranging from novel antibiotics, polysaccharides and to the conversion of agricultural biomass into energy reserves. Resupinate basidiomycete are fungi are particularly difficult identify. In order to prevent duplication of research it was appropriate to initially characterize these new strains. Focus has been to compare molecular biological characterization approaches with the classical systems. Novel xylanases were found which could be of interest to the biomass conversion component of the study. The bases for the success of the early fermentation shakers used in the Rutgers' antibiotic production were reviewed. These shakers, designed by David Freedman co-founder of the New Brunswick Scientific Company, led to the both the success of the company (recently sold for $10 million) and of the development of the initial Rutgers antibiotics - actinomycin, streptomycin and neomycin.)
Publications
- Pennapa Manitchotpisit, C. D. Skory, T. D. Leathers, P. Lotrakul, D. E. Eveleigh, S. Prasongsuk, & H, Punnapayak. 2010. Relationship between α-amylase activity and pullulan profiles, and α-amylase gene analyses of Aureobasidium pullulans. J. Indust. Microbiol. & Biotechnol. In press.
- Permpornsakul, P., P. Lotrakul, S. Prasongsuk, D. E. Eveleigh, D. Y. Kobayashi, R. Sullivan, S. H. Wu and H. Punnapayak. 2010. Lignocellulolytic Enzyme Production of Tropical Resupinate White Rot Fungi Isolated in Thailand. Abstract. Society for Industrial Microbiology National Meeting, San Francisco, CA. August 2.
- Lotrakul, Pontharin, Saratsawadee Rotjanaguso, Sehanat Prasongsuk, Douglas E. Eveleigh, and Hunsa. Punnapayak. 2010. Diversity in thermostability of xylanases from tropical strains of Aureobasidium pullulans. Abstract. Society for Industrial Microbiology National Meeting, San Francisco, CA. August 2.
- Eveleigh, D., J. W. Bennett and D. Pramer. 2010. Movers and Shakers - a Rutgers's Perspective. Society for Industrial Microbiology Ann. Meeting. Abstract P153, San Francisco. (August 1). August 1, 2010.
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The early studies in soil microbiology at Rutgers resulted in the conceptual understanding of the role of microbes in the soil, coincidentally leading to the development of the the fledgling antibiotic industry. Rutgers streptomycin, the world's second major antibiotic discovered following penicillin, transformed world medicine while setting the importance of the major agricultural role of soil microbes in true perspective. Outreach continues today: the recent opening (2008) of a permanent exhibit at the Library of Science and Medicine, Busch Campus, Rutgers University. [Member of the exhibit team]. Eveleigh, D. E.]. These soil microbiological studies have a broad base, and international overtones. A Thai-American Soil - Biomass Study program has been initiated. The focus has been on a more rarely studied fungal group, resupinate white rot basidiomycetes. Useful lignin degrading strains have been isolated and their characterization is being detailed. TARGET AUDIENCES: Dissemination trhough pesentation at national meetings plus publication for international microbiological audiences. PARTICIPANTS: D. E. Eveleigh, D. Y. Kobayashi (Rutgers University) P. Permpornsakul, P. Lotrakul, S. Prasongsuk, and H. Punnapayak (Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. TARGET AUDIENCES: TARGET AUDIENCES: Publication for international microbiological audience. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
In the continuation, this program has developed international outreach within which there has been the isolation of novel fungi from Thailand soils. These new isolates have broad potential applications ranging from novel antibiotics to the conversion of agricultural biomass into energy reserves. Resupinate basidiomycete are fungi are particularly difficult identify. In order to prevent duplication of research it was appropriate to initially characterize these new strains. Focus has been to compare molecular biological characterization approaches with the classical systems.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The early studies of Rutges in the 1940s resulted in a major boost to the fledgling antibiotic inpustry. Stretpomycin was the second major antibiotic discovered follwoing that of penicillin. Our current studies continue in this tradition with detailing further novel antibiotics, recently the phaeochromycins. The Rutgers antibiotics studies have been had outreach through: Lo, Mei Ling, Michele Takar and Kristi Conover (Library of Science and Medicine) and Douglas Eveleigh (SEBS). 2008. "Out of the earth shall come thy salvation". Opening of a permanent exhibit at the Library of Science and Medicine, Busch Campus, Rutgers University. [Member of the exhibit team]. Eveleigh, D. E. 2008. The legacy of Selman Waksman. Waksman Foundation, Woodshole Oceanographic Institute, Woodshole, MA. Eveleigh, D. E. 2008. "Antibiotics from the ground up - "SEBS' gifts from the soil". - The Rutgers Antibiotic Discovery Program. Waksman Foundation of Japan, Tokyo, Japan. Eveleigh, D. E. 2008. "Gifts from the Soil - Biomass Studies in the New Jersey-The Garden State". Thai-American Symposium on Plant Biomass, Biotechnology and Agriculture, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. PARTICIPANTS: Mei LingLo, Michele Takar and Kristi Conover, Library of Science and Medicine, Rutgers. Frank Ritacco and D. Eveleigh - Ritacco was a liasion with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. . TARGET AUDIENCES: Publication for international microbiological audience. Exhibit dispaly for all Rutgers library users PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The phaeochromycins are a new class of antibiotics and the focus of the this particular study was the characterization of the antibiotic producting strains. A tripart new approach to the criteria for the classification was eveloped. Definition of the strains prevents duplication of research.
Publications
- Ritacco, F. V. and D. Eveleigh. 2008.Molecular and phenotypic comparison of phaeochromycin-producing strains of Streptomyces phaeochromogenes and Streptomyces ederensis J. Industrial Microbiol. & Biotechnol. 35:931-945.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
This project reviews the overall process from several broad perspectives. For instance: Did the recommenders for the Nobel Prize include consideration of other researchers such as Dr. Rene Dubos, the discoverer of the first bacterial antibiotic tyrothricin, Dr. Albert Schatz co-discoverer of streptomycin and others of the Waksman antibiotic screening team, and also of Drs. Hinshaw and Feldman who ran the first tuberculosis trials in both animals and humnans? The original letters of recommendation for the prize and the discussions thereof, are available to historians for study (with appropriate justification) after 50 years have elapsed. A major advance was being able to visit the Nobel archives and review the internal protocols. These materials are being studied, slowed in part due to the necessity of translations from the Swedish. These translations continue but the more important focus from them has been the analysis of such unique data, such studies realizing
insight and understanding these materials from a modern context. I also mentored development of understanding of the biosynthesis of the phaeochromycin antibiotics with completion of the graduate thesis of Frank Ritacco (Ritacco, 2007) and associated studies (Ritacco et al., 2008a,b). The current data permits novel interpretation of data from earlier studies. Other advances this year include: Aiding the preparation and basic organization of a new permanent exhibition at The Library of Science and Medicine entitled "Selman Waksman and the discovery of the Rutgers antibiotics". This opened August 15th, 2007 and was co-ordinated with recognition of the 90th birthday of one of the original antibiotic discoverers, Boyd Woodruff (actinomycin, 1940). A key outcome was a re-analysis of the accomplishments under current perspectives, illustrating major changes in interpretation of the data through today's scholastic criteria. More general accomplishments include the nomination that was
prepared a Rutgers alumnus for consideration for the National Medal of Science. Over view presentations were given of roles and activities of the actinomycetes in Cellulase - a historical perspective. Symposium "Incredible Anaerobes: from Physiology to Genomics to Fuels - State of the Art", an annual energy symposium, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. (Eveleigh, D. E. 2007a). A further analysis of current approaches including the ray fungi (the actinomycetes, was presented (Eveleigh, D. E. 2007c.). An historical talk was given to the mycological associates of the NJ Mycological Association, Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown, NJ.
Impacts
This project addresses re-analysis of the historical accomplishments of the departmental roles in the development of American soil microbiology and the discovery by Selman Waksman's research group of the actinomycete antibiotics. A major feature is of how new insights are gained by comparison with today's antibiotic studies, in particular with the phaeochromycin biosynthetic pathways (Ritacco et al., 2007a,b - talk and poster), and also the comparative role of newly described yeasts (Sehanat et al. 2007) at the annual meeting of the Society for Industrial Microbiology. The importance of the lichen symbiotic association (bacterium, alga and fungus) in antibiotic production was addressed Eveleigh (2007c). The basis of the ecological success of actinomycetes as major soil microbiota was given perspective through consideration of the role of antibiotics in relation to their nutrition and capability to attack of recalcitrant materials such as cellulose (Eveleigh, 2007b).
Publications
- Eveleigh, D. E. 2007a. Cellulase - a historical perspective. Symposium "Incredible Anaerobes: from Physiology to Genomics to Fuels - State of the Art", an annual energy symposium, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
- Eveleigh, D. E. 2007b. An historical mycological foray. NJ Mycological Association, Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown, NJ.
- Eveleigh, D. E. 2007c. Gravestone lichens. North East Microbiologists - Physiology, Ecology and Taxonomy (NEMPET) Meeting, Blue Mountain Lake, NY.
- Eveleigh, D. E. 2007d. Small segment in Microbial Observatory. The Soil Explorers. Corporate State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), USDA FILM - view partners no. 19.
- Prasongsuk, S., D. Pacharawan, P. Lotrakul, D. E. Eveleigh and H. Punnapayak. 2007. Antifungal agents from tropical isolates of Aureobasidium pullulans. Poster. Soc. Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
- Ritacco, Frank. 2007. The phaeochromycins from Streptomyces strain LL-PO18: from taxonomy to novelties of biosynthesis. Ph.D. thesis, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
- Ritacco, F. , E. I. Graziani, V. S. Bernan, J-B. Telliez and D. E. Eveleigh. 2007. The phaeochromycins from Streptomyces strain PO18: from taxonomy to novelties of biosynthesis. Talk. Soc. Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
This project reviews the overall process from several perspective such as: Did the recommenders include consideration of other researchers such as Dr. Rene Dubos, the discoverer of the first bacterial antibiotic tyrothricin, Dr. Albert Schatz co-discoverer of streptomycin and others of the Waksman antibiotic screening team, and also of Drs. Hinshaw and Feldman who ran the first tuberculosis trials in both animals and humnans? The original letters of recommendation for the prize and the discussions thereof, are available to historians for study (with appropriate justification) after 50 years have elapsed. A major advance was being able to visit the Nobel archives in 2006 and study the papers. The current status is that these materials are being studied, slowed in part due to the necessity of translations from the Swedish. These translations are in full swing. I also helped with the basic organization of the new permanent exhibition of the Discovery of the Rutgers
Antibiotics, now on permanent display at The Library of Science and Medicine. I mentored development of two further antibiotics, lasalocid and phaeochromycins. An additional historical topic arose from it being the 300th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Franklin. Thus an undergraduate Ivon Jorrin, explored Franklin's ideas from a microbiological perspective. Franklin proposed the use of rock salt for preservation having noted that ships carrying salt cargoes were less susceptible to rot than other vessels. He also designed a flexible catheter including preservation of the catgut component by use of alum. Ms. Jorrin studies were presented at three meetings. In further historical vein, there was a presentation at the 9th International Trichoderma Conference, Technical University, Vienna, Austria reviewing aspects of the development of cellulases.
Impacts
This project addresses the historical perspective of the departmental roles in the development of American soil microbiology and the discovery by Selman Waksman's research group of the actinomycete antibiotics There has been considerable public comment as to the solitary award of the award of the Nobel Prize 1952 in Physiology or Medicine to Professor Selman Waksman.
Publications
- Jorrin, I and D. E. Eveleigh. Benjamin Franklin: Microbiologist? 2006. NJ Academy of Sciences. Annual Meeting, Poster. NJ Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ (April 8th).
- Jorrin, I and D. E. Eveleigh. Benjamin Franklin: Unknown Microbiologist for 300 Years? 2006. North East Microbiologists-Physiology, Ecology and Taxonomy (NEMPET) Meeting, Blue Mountain Lake, NY.
- Ritacco, F. , E. I. Graziani, V. S. Bernan, J-B. Telliez and D. E. Eveleigh. 2006. The phaeochromycins from Streptomyces strain PO18: from taxonomy to novelties of biosynthesis.Poster. Soc. Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting, Baltimore.
- Warren N. Itterly. 2005. Modulation of lasalocid and analog synthesis in response to varied concentrations of methanol and cobalt. Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Graduate Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
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