Progress 06/01/21 to 05/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Those interested in undergraduate education and the execution of summer research programs in support of professional development for undergraduates. Changes/Problems:Due to the pandemic, we were unable to visit the US FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, however scientists from this facility presented online to the students. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students participated in professional development seminars each Monday that covered topics including how to critique a scientific paper, how to deliver effective oral presentations, and strategies for applying to graduate school and professional positions. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The students delivered final presentations on the last day, presented posters at the Allegheny Branch meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, and wrote articles for peer-reviewed journals. 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 final summer of the REEU program was an overall success especially since we were still negotiating issues around COVID-19 at Penn State. Eight students participated including one each from St. Vincent College, Juniata College, and Mt Aloysuis College, and five from the University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla. As in previous years, the students performed independent research, participated in professional development seminars (Monday each week), and had a chance to share their progress at Friday afternoon wrap up meetings. Projects included: 1. Screening E. coli and Salmonella for heavy metal resistance genes, and determining whether a correlation exists between the presence of specific genes and phenotypic resistance; 2. Screening of isolates from the human gut microbiome in order to identify bacteria that are either able to degrade resistant starch or utilize complex oligosaccharides derived from resistant starch. 3. Phenotypic characterization of bioinsecticidal crystal protein production by Bacillus cereus group isolates and association of phenotypes with genotypes 4. Assessment of cytotoxicity of Bacilus cereus isolates in a CaCo-2 cell model 5. Microbiome studies of fermented kombucha Students presented the results through oral presentations on the last day of the program. We performed pre- and post-surveys which concluded that the participants felt they made "moderate to great" gains over the summer in areas including "ability to think like a scientist", "confidence in ability to do research", and "ability to work independently".
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Chung, T., Prince, C., Kimble, K., Salazar, A., Harm, G., Johler, S., & Kovac, J. (August 1, 2022). "Evaluating the relationship between presence of crystal protein-encoding genes, expression of crystal proteins, and cytotoxicity in Bacillus cereus s.s. isolates," 2022 IAFP Annual Meeting, International Association for Food Protection, Pittsburgh, PA, Accepted. International.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
*Sinclair, P., *Rolon, M. L., #Feng, J., #Pad�n-L�pez, A., LaBorde, L., Kovac, J. (2022). The ability of two lactic acid bacteria strains to inhibit L. monocytogenes by spot inoculation and in an environmental microbiome context. Microbiology Spectrum, https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/spectrum.01018-22
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Salazar, A., Chung, T., Harm, G., & Kovac, J. (November 13, 2021). "Evaluating the correlation between detection of crystal protein-encoding genes and expression of crystal proteins in Bacillus cereus s.s. isolates," ABASM Annual Meeting, Allegheny Branch of American Society of Microbiology, Online, Accepted. Regional.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Carney, H., Aston, L., Miranda-Perez, A., Cockburn, D. (2021) Characterization of carbohydrate degrading ability of human gut isolates. ABASM Annual Meeting, Allegheny Branch of American Society of Microbiology, Online
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Progress 06/01/17 to 05/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Educators interested in designing effective experiential training programs for undergraduate students in STEM, educators at undergraduate-centric colleges and universities, and food safety professionals who may hire these individuals. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students participated in professional development seminars each Monday that covered topics including how to critique a scientific paper, how to deliver effective oral presentations, and strategies for applying to graduate school and professional positions. Students also were able to interact with professionals at the US FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, either in person or virtually (when visits to the Center in College Park were not allowed due to COVID-19). The majority of participants presented their work at the Allegheny Branch of the American Society for Microbiology meeting, held in Pennsylvania each Fall. Several have also published in peer-reviewed journals as first- or co-authors. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The students delivered final presentations on the last day, presented posters at the Allegheny Branch meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, and wrote articles for peer-reviewed journals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Over the summers of 2018, 2019 and 2021 (2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19), the Project Directors (PDs) on this proposal led successful, 8-week programs providing undergraduates with experiential learning opportunities in food microbiology. A total of 33 students participated, two of whom joined more than one year. Nineteen of these students came from 7 undergraduate-centric institutions in Pennsylvania (LaRoche College, Juniata College, Shippensburg University, Lafayette College, Mount Aloysius College, Saint Vincent College, and Gettysburg College) and the remaining 12 from the University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla (UPRAg). This group comprised 14 males and 17 females, 12 of whom identify as Latinx and 2 African. Some students (4 in summer 2018 and one in summer 2019) were supported in part by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences (two), their home institutions (two), or other external funds (one). Students performed independent research projects, while participating each week in group sessions that built skills for success in scientific careers, discussed career possibilities, and provided opportunities to interact with professionals at the USDA-Wyndmoor and FDA Center for Food Science and Nutrition. Students presented their research at the end of the summer in an in-house symposium, and 20 students (including all UPRAg students) gave poster or oral presentations at either the 2018 (at Gettysburg College), 2019 (St. Francis University) or 2021 (online only) meetings of the Allegheny Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (ABASM). Projects led to peer-reviewed publications, and 15 poster presentation. Six students who received B.S. degrees are now in graduate school at either Penn State, The Ohio State University, Duquesne University, Baylor College of Medicine, or the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez
Publications
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Progress 06/01/20 to 05/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Educators interested in designing effective experiential training programs for undergraduate students in STEM, educators at undergraduate-centric colleges and universities, and food safety professionals who may hire these individuals. Changes/Problems:The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic forced us to cancel the summer 2020 offering, however using a no-cost extension and funds from a program renewal we will offer this again summer 2021. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We have permission to host a face-to-face summer program in 2021, which will begin on June 7. For the next reporting period we will detail the results of evaluations concerning student learning from their research projects and other professional development activities. We also plan to bring as many students as interested back for the Fall 2021 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Allegheny Division conference. This is the local meeting which REEU cohorts from summer 2018 and 2019 returned for in order to present their research to a professional audience.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
For summer 2020, we had recruited eight students students including four from the University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla (UPRAg), three from Saint Vincent College, and one from Mount Aloysius College. All institutions serve only undergraduate students and have limited ability to integrate them into rigorous research experiences. UPRAg is also a minority-serving institution. In April 2020 however, Penn State disallowed face-to-face programs due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and after discussion the program lead-PIs decided a virtual program would not be effective and therefore cancelled the summer 2020 offering. For summer 2021, we recruited eight students who will begin on June 7, 2021, including five from UPRAg. Four of the students joining will be those who had offers in 2020.
Publications
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Progress 06/01/19 to 05/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:During the reporting period, we trained 10 undergraduate students in food microbiology research skills, targeting those fromsmall colleges and universities around Pennsylvania, and the University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla. Three undergraduates from Penn State were included to serve as peer-leaders to the group. Changes/Problems:We cancelled the 2020 summer program due to COVID-19. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Besides practicing written and oral communication of scientific data, students also visited the US Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. This provided students with the opportunity to interact with Federal scientists, learning more about opportunities in food safety at this level. Additionally, nine of the original cohort of 10 non-Penn State students attended the Allegheny Branch meeting of the American Society for Microbiology at St. Francis University in Loretto, PA, during November 2019, along with three of the PIs on this project and a faculty collaborator from the University of Puerto Rico. Thiscohort included all five of the students from the UPR-Aguadilla. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research publications and articles in Penn State affiliated news sites. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Due to the COVID-19 situation, we have canceled the planned 2020 summer program, and anticipate requesting a no-cost extension in order to hold this over summer 2021.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
For eight weeks over the summer of 2019, 13 undergraduate students were part of a cohort we trained in food microbiology/food safety research. These students came from Lafayette College, St Vincents College, Mount Aloysuis, and Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Another three students were from the Universityof Puerto Rico-Aguadilla, and three from Penn State. Students began the summer by participating together in a one-week "boot camp", wherethe PIs on this project took the students through five days of laboratory sessions designed to build, or reenforce, their microbiological and molecular biology skills. After that, students were divided among the PIs, and spent the remaining summer working on individual projects in food safety and food microbiology. Once per week, students also had a lecture directed by one of the PIs ranging intopics from experimental design, to presentation of research findings, and preparation for applying to graduate school. Each week ended with a group meeting so the students could share findings and lessons for the week. At the end of the summer,students gave an oral presentation that was open to all faculty and students.We evaluated this program with both pre- and post tests. These evaluations revealed that the majority of students felt they had gained confidence in their scientific abilities. We also learned that many of the issues pointed out by students in the 2018 program were not large issues this time around, showing we made appropriate adjustments. Lastly, we have begun seeing payoff from our earlier 2018 summer program, with participants from past programs begin accepted into Ph.D programs at Penn State, Ohio State, Carnegie Mellon, and the Baylor College of Medicine. Another student was accepted into a Food and Drug Administration summer research program for 2020.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Whole-Genome Sequences of Salmonella Isolates from an Ecological Wastewater Treatment System
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Progress 06/01/18 to 05/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:During the reporting period, we trained 13 undergraduate students in food microbiology research skills, targeting those from small colleges and universities around Pennsylvania, and the University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla. Three undergraduates from Penn State were included to serve as peer-leaders to the group. One faculty member from UPR-Aguadilla was involved as well. Changes/Problems:Two minor changes have happened: 1) This past year, we have added four co-PIs to the project; one of the original PIs has left Penn State, and a second has taken on sufficient administrative duties that preclude her participation. The four added PIs bring strengths in food safety, genomics, yeasts and molds, and gastrointestinal microbiology; 2) Due to the changes in PIs, we ran this summer program with less of a prescriptive emphasis on bacteriophage and genome sequencing, allowing students to work on projects of interest to the lab group they joined. We believe this still accomplished the original goals of training undergraduates in research methods and skills required for graduate school. Of note, the original prescriptive research description was one of the criticisms of the reviewers of our proposal, so this change also appeases their concerns. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Besides practicing written and oral communication of scientific data, students also visited the US Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and the USDA-Wyndmoor center for food safety. Both of these visits included presentations from center scientists, and tours of the facilities. Students had plenty of opportunities to learn about science careers in the federal government. Additionally, seven of the original cohort of 13 non-Penn State students attended the Allegheny Branch meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Gettysburg, PA, during November 2018, along with three of the PIs on this project. This cohort included all five of the students from the UPR-Aguadilla. Individually or in groups, the students gave poster presentations and one gave an oral presentation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?A story about this group was published on Penn State News, an online site that is available to the public. As reported earlier, one publication from summer projects has been published, and several are in preparation. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to run another summer program starting in June 2019. We have 10 students who have applied, and three from last summer who have indicated their intention to return; our project is written to allow students to return for two consecutive summers.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
For eight weeks over the summer of 2018, 16 undergraduate students were part of a cohort we trained in food microbiology/food safety research. These students came from Lafayette College, St Vincents College, LaRoche College, Juniata College, Mount Aloysuis, and Shippensburg College in Pennsylvania. Another five students were from the University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla, and three from Penn State. Of these, one was funded through a grant from Juniata College, and one was supported by PI Dudley. Students began the summer by participating together in a one-week "boot camp", where the PIs on this project took the students through five days of laboratory sessions designed to build, or reenforce, their microbiological and molecular biology skills. After that, students were divided among the PIs, and spent the remaining summer working on individual projects including, but not limited to: 1) Genome sequencing and characterization of Escherichia coli isolated from cattle raised with and without antibiotic treatment; 2) Characterization of newly identified species of Bacillus; 3) Sequencing and characterization of Escherichia coli isolated from cocoa beans; 3) Designing challenge studies to limit pathogen survival on duck prosciutto; 4) Identifying novel degraders of resistant starches; 5) Isolation and characterization of yeasts from wine grapes. Once per week, students also had a lecture directed by one of the PIs ranging in topics from experimental design, to presentation of research findings, and preparation for applying to graduate school. Each week ended with a group meeting so the students could share findings and lessons for the week. At the end of the summer, students gave an oral presentation that was open to all faculty and students. We evaluated this program with both pre- and post tests. These evaluations revealed that the majority of students felt they were better prepared to run their own research projects, and had gained confidence in their scientific abilities. We also learned that parts of the program were perceived as unfocused, and that students entered the program not feeling as if they knew exactly what was going to happen that summer. We are addressing these areas for the 2019 session.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nwanosike H, Chung T, Xiaoli L, Condello M, Dudley EG, Kovac J. 2019. Whole-Genome Sequences of Escherichia coli Isolates from Cocoa Beans Imported from Bolivia. Microbiol Resour Announc. Jan 17;8(3). pii: e01516-18. doi: 10.1128/MRA.01516-18.
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Progress 06/01/17 to 05/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Students from undergraduate-centric academic institutions who have an interest in the agricultural sciences, especially food microbiology. Changes/Problems:Two of the PIs originally on this proposal (Drs. Milillo and Cutter) have either left Penn State, or have taken new job responsibilities that prohibit them from participating. The Department of Food Science has hired several microbiologists over the past year who will take their place. We do not anticipate any significant changes to how we run the program however. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We are running the first summer program in 2018, so nothing to report at this time. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?By the next reporting period, we will have run the 2018 summer program for the first cohort, and will have a second set of students identified for summer 2019. As noted in the goals, students who participated in 2018 will be given the opportunity to return for the following year.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We have recruited 16 students for summer of 2018, who will be trained in microbiology skills in food science related projects. These numbers include 12 funded by this project, two being matched (stipend and housing) by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences through funding from the Vice Dean's office, and two supported by their home institutions (Juniata College, and University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla). A total of five students are from the University of Puerto Rico, and a faculty member from that institution will join us in July. We have designed a curriculum that will train students in skills related to becoming a scientist (designing hypothesis, oral and written presentations, etc), and will use a pre- and post assessment to identify gains made during this summer program. The program will run from June 4 - July 27.
Publications
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