Dirty Money (PowerPoint)
Description: An experiment to observe the normal micro flora found on money obtained from local establishments
By: Matt Larson – Simon, Missy Boevers, Cory Haeffner, and Scott Suhr

Buccal Epithelial Cells with Adherent Bacterial Cells Revealed by Phase Contrast and Fluorescent Staining (PowerPoint)
Description: An project to observe the adherence of bacterial cells to buccal epithelial cells of the mouth. Our hypothesis was that the buccal epithelial cells are viable even with the adherence of bacterial cells.
By: Kim Eschweiler, Beth Graham, Andy Koester, Tabitha Peterson

Effect of media composition on decolorization and peroxidase activity of Phanerochaetes chrysosporium (PowerPoint)
Description: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of media composition on decolorization and peroxidase activity. This research adds to the understanding of how white-rot fungi degrade azo dyes and may contribute to the development of a treatment system for azo dyes waste.
By: Erica Powless

Biofilm Formation and Adherence of Uropathogenic E. coli (PowerPoint)
Description: Biofilms are a group of sessile bacteria attached to a surface. They secrete a slime matrix which surrounds and protects them. Chemical signals accumulate and trigger gene expression which may initialize biofilm production. Growing these films is difficult in the laboratory because they form very slowly.
By: Jeffrey Voreis, Steven Nus & Adam Ostendorf

Biofilm Formation and Adherence of Uropathogenic E. coli (PowerPoint)
Description: See above.
By: Steven Nus, Adam Ostendorf & Jeffrey Voreis

Lurking Oral Cavity Microbes (PowerPoint)
Description: There are numerous microbial species lurking in the human mouth, commonly referred to as plaque. Plaque can be either beneficial or detrimental. Dental plaque is a natural flora in the mouth that can lead to oral diseases, tooth loss, discomfort or mortality. Dental plaque build up in the mouth can lead to infections elsewhere in the body. However, by populating the mouth it helps defend the host against the colonization of foreign species. By not brushing the teeth regularly an exponential increase of bacteria can occur. Using biofilms, the objective would be to observe this population increase.
By: Teddy Annang, Lacey Ebert, Hannah Goldammer, Belarmino Hafermann

The Effect of Phosphate on Biofilm Algal Numbers (PowerPoint)
Description: After hypothesizing that doubling the phosphate concentration will double the algae numbers, we filled two containers full of water from the Avenue of the Saints pond. For four weeks we sampled the microcosms, centrifuged, and then counted the algae. We also doubled the amount of phosphate in the experimental container each week.
By: Riley Lehman, Ryan Martin, Adriana McMullan, Shelly Meyer, Jacob Phillips & Josiah Polito

Biofilm Growth in Rat Water Bottles (PowerPoint)
Description: This past term, it was discovered that the rats used in our senior research had a “slime” growing in their water bottles. This slime was on both the glass and plastic bottles. The “slime” decreased the water quality and caused the researchers to consider outside variables in the water. The researchers began to wonder whether or not there were harmful microorganisms or toxins in the water.
By: Liz Ericson, Stephanie Fisk, Terri Lechtenberg, & Matt Lucas

The Effectiveness of Disinfectants on Various Surface Biofilms (PowerPoint)
Description: Biofilms can also grow on living organisms. Biofilms that have this capability play a major role in disease because they can protect pathogens from disinfectants by hiding the pathogens underneath their thick film. Microbial biofilms are often related to high degree of antimicrobial resistance, thus making the bacteria difficult to destroy (Jabra-Rizk et al., 2004). This experiment tested the effectiveness of nine disinfectants and whether they penetrated the biofilm and killed the microorganisms.
By: Laura Durant, Dawn Drury, Jacque Novak, Melinda Yoder

The Effect of Nitrogen on Planktonic and Biofilm Microorganisms in a Pond Ecosystem (PowerPoint)
Description: This group chose to see what effect nitrogen would have on the microcosm. The group was faced with many problems, including the microcosm going anaerobic, which was not an effect of the nitrogen. Even with this problem, a slight effect was seen from the nitrogen, even if not as great as would have been seen in a natural setting.
By: Audra Schutte, Annette Fischels, Jerriel Berry, Aaron Timm, Sara Techau, Julie Schweinfurth