This shows how undergrads/dental students can make meaningful research contributions. Unfortunately, with disruptions in NIH funding, my group may not be able to offer these opportunities in the future. Please, continue to support research programs across the US for these students !!

Also assisting with the project were Emily Williams and Madisen Bangs, former undergraduate researchers now in their D1 year at OSU, and Iris Shin a current D2 that made mutants in the summer between undergrad/D1 year. And of course Dan, now in med school at OU in Cleveland.

Jacob, as part of a dental summer research project, tested a pyruvate oxidase mutant that decreases H2O2 production, as well as added catalase, to S. mitis / S. mutans coculture biofilms and determined this is the likely source of biofilm inhibition. Jacob is interested in going into Oral Surgery

Through measuring hydrogen peroxide production, Izzy found this strain produces 5x more H2O2 than any other strain in our collection. Izzy will be presenting in a few weeks at @aadocr.bsky.social in the NSRG Rising Researcher competition and has been an amazing undergrad researcher

In collecting data for another project, we noticed that this strain of S. mitis effectively inhibited S. mutans biofilm formation. A couple students in the lab, Izzy Williams an Ohio State senior, and Jacob Tuckerman, a current D3 dental student, ran with this to find out why