Williams Lab at ASM 2016

Williams Lab at the American Society for Microbiology

Undergraduate researchers from Dr. Laura Williams’ lab presented their work on predatory bacteria at the national American Society for Microbiology meeting in Boston on June 18, 2016. Predatory bacteria are bacteria that attack and digest other bacteria, including animal and plant pathogens. Brett Enos (’16) presented his research isolating and characterizing Halobacteriovorax marinus from Mount Hope Bay in Rhode Island. This isolate can attack species of marine Vibrio. Nicole Cullen (’17) and Sean O’Donnell (’16) presented their research on a strain of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus isolated from a bioswale on the Providence College campus, which collects and filters storm water runoff from nearby buildings. This isolate can attack both soil and freshwater bacteria. The Williams lab is interested in understanding how these predatory bacteria attack different species of environmental bacteria in the hopes of developing predatory bacteria as a biocontrol agent and an alternative to antibiotics to combat pathogens.

Williams Lab at ASM 2016

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