Editor’s note: This article was written by Dr. Aarti Raja, a professor at Nova Southeastern University, in collaboration with South Florida Sun Sentinel staff writer Cindy Krischer Goodman.
Antibiotic resistance has become an increasingly fatal problem that South Florida college students are trying to solve.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in 2019, antimicrobial resistance killed 1.27 million people worldwide and nearly 5 million deaths were associated with infections caused by drug-resistant organisms. Research has shown that this number is projected to increase to 10 million per year by 2050, greatly exceeding deaths from cancer.
In this landscape, a Nova Southeastern University professor and her class of 40 students are conducting research and searching for the next new antibiotic. For students, being part of the Tiny Earth network of student researchers is more than just a course: They become scientists working to address a global challenge while cultivating a sense of belonging in the field of science and within their local communities.
Students test soil from around the NSU campus or their backyards.
“Some students have found bacteria that are producing antibiotic-like compounds,” said Dr. Aarti Raja, the NSU professor teaching the course. “We are working to identify what these bacteria are and the composition of the compounds they are producing.”
The concept of crowdsourcing antibiotic discovery has opened the possibility of finding a solution to this global challenge. Leveraging this model allows entire classes of students — not just one or two students — to engage in research.
“Students often speak about how research plays an important role in their career path and express genuine interest in engaging in the work,” Raja said. “For many students, there is a great thrill in owning a project, being involved in a global effort, and the possibility of discovering something novel.”
NSU in Davie is among 540 institutions, 800 faculty, and 16,000 students worldwide working to find a solution to the antibiotic resistance crisis that affects care in hospitals and the narrowing of medical treatment options. Students work through a semester or beyond on their research.
“I was able to create pamphlets and talk about antibiotic resistance with my family, and help people understand the importance of it and why it should be taken seriously,” said Jennifer Vargas, a junior at NSU in Davie. “I hope the pamphlets I created in English and Spanish will help patients.”
The students will disseminate their research findings to their peers, the university community, and the network of researchers worldwide. Some students will go on to present their work at an international conference of scientists.
In the U.S., the CDC estimates that 2.8 million infections annually are caused by antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms, and 35,000 people die from such infections. Compounding this, the World Health Organization notes that the development and approval of antibiotics have dwindled over the years down to 1.2 agents per year globally.
Along with health concerns, combating antimicrobial resistance, called AMR, has economic impacts, creating high costs for both health systems and national economies overall. For example, it makes a need for more expensive and intensive care for patients, involves prolonged hospital stays, and harms agricultural productivity.
Raja says students often speak about how research plays a vital role in their career path and express a genuine interest in engaging in the work. Many of the students will continue to medical school and face the real-life concerns with antibiotic resistance as physicians treating patients.
“This was my first experience with hands-on research,” said Jaelyn Freeston, an NSU junior. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to something meaningful and important in the real world.”
This article was contributed as a collaboration between the South Florida Sun Sentinel and the Mako Media Institute at Nova Southeastern University.