Biology

Students from Morehead State University and Georgetown College recently visited the WKU Electron Microscopy Facility to obtain images of the viruses they discovered and characterized through the Small Genomes Discovery Program.  This classroom-based research experience is funded through a Kentucky Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (KBRIN) award to Dr. Rodney King and Dr. Claire Rinehart.  The goal of the Small Genomes Discovery Program is to use phage discovery, characterization, and genomics as the basis for original research for Kentucky’s novice undergraduate students. The phage population is large and diverse and likely represents the largest repository of novel DNA sequences on the planet and the relatively small size of phage genomes is well suited for bioinformatic dissection by undergraduate researchers. 

A note received from Mark Christensen of Georgetown College after their visit to WKU is below:

“Thanks so much for a great visit yesterday at WKU!  Thanks also for helping the students with their phage EM, which they really were excited about!  And icing on the cake that they all saw their phage.  You all have great facilities and we enjoyed seeing the "toys".  The students commented on how much sophistication and specialized technology is involved in generating the TEM and SEM pics that are sprinkled throughout their textbooks”.