I would advise students to reach to professors early and make sure to look at the different projects that faculty members have worked on
Faheed Shafau
Biomedical Laboratory Science
Undergraduate Research in the Neighborhoods
The goal of Faheed’s research project was to investigate whether arginine serves as a precursor for Tetrodotoxin (TTX) production in bacterial symbionts found on rough-skinned newts. Isolated TTX-producing bacteria were cultured and tested using Pseudomonas and Aeromonas strains. Faheed and his research team members supplemented the cultures with L- and D-arginine, as well as L- and D-histidine as a control. Growth patterns were measured, and TTX levels were quantified using HILIC-MS/MS. Findings of this project revealed that Aeromonas produced significant TTX quantities with arginine supplementation, while Pseudomonas produced TTX mainly with D-arginine. Overall, investigating the role of bacterial symbionts in TTX production sheds light on the intricate relationships between host organisms and their associated microorganisms.
Learn more about this and other research in the Neighborhood Engagement Centers.
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