Transcript Valley Center, KS - National Center for Earth and Space Science

THE EFFECT OF MICROGRAVITY
ON BACTERIAL GROWTH AND
ITS RESISTANCE TO
ANTIBIOTICS.
Co-Principal Investigators:
Wesley Crow
Logan Burks
Cole Klinkhammer
Samuel Sheahan
THE EXPERIMENT
The Effect of Microgravity on Bacterial Growth and its Resistance to Antibiotics.
• The Question:
• Will bacteria be less susceptible to antibiotics after it is
grown under the influences of microgravity?
• Previous Results
• Other experiments conducted.
• Our Pretest results
• Our Hypothesis
MATERIALS & PROCEDURE
• Antibiotics used: Penicillin, erythromycin, and vancomycin
• Bacteria used: staphylococcus epidermidis
• Why this bacteria?
• Pre-flight Stages:
• Activation:
• Post-flight Experimentation:
RESULTS
• We observed that the zone of inhibition created was smaller for
the bacteria grown in space compared to the bacteria grown on
earth.
• We think this phenomenon could be credited to bacteria
growing better in microgravity
• What differences we observed.
PICTURES
QUANTITATIVE RESULTS
Microgravity Test Results
Penicillin
Erythromycin
Vancomycin
Control
2.50 cm
1.90 cm
1.60 cm
0 cm
2.60 cm
2.10 cm
1.40 cm
0 cm
2.60 cm
1.80 cm
1.40 cm
0 cm
2.40 cm
2.00cm
1.40 cm
0 cm
2.60 cm
1.60 cm
1.40 cm
0 cm
2.40 cm
1.40 cm
1.80 cm
0 cm
Ground Truth Results
Penicillin
Erythromycin
Vancomycin
Control
2.60 cm
2.00 cm
1.50 cm
0 cm
3.20 cm
2.50 cm
2.53 cm
0 cm
3.00 cm
2.93 cm
2.00 cm
0 cm
3.46 cm
3.70 cm
2.03 cm
0 cm
3.53 cm
2.03 cm
1.80 cm
0 cm
3.70 cm
3.03 cm
1.93 cm
0 cm
CONCLUSION
• Why is microgravity a more advantageous environment for
bacterial growth?
• Our Hypothesis
• Future Experimentation
• Other bacteria
• Viruses
• How can this be applied?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you to all the organizations and businesses that helped make this experience possible,
along with a special thanks to all the teachers at Valley Center High School for all their
dedication and support.
Lead: Valley Center High School
Valley Center Public Schools
Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS)
National Center for Earth and Space Science Education
Kansas Space Grant Consortium
Airbus North America
Ark Valley News
Capps Manufacturing
Cargill
Coonrod & Associates
Exacta Aerospace
iSi Environmental
KAKE TV
Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center
Wichita Eagle
Additional Contributors: Amy Sears & Russell Lance, Bill & Marlene Wentz, Bradley
Tidemann, Brian Jackson, Brian Supernaw, D & D Plumbing, Emerson & Eileen Bolte, Glen &
Janel Hawkins, Grant & Anita Tidemann, Greg & Kendra Jantz, Hugh Gill, Lois Pierson, Mick
& Kay Thrasher, Parker Maldonado, Representative Steve Huebert, Society of Women
Engineers, Timothy & Rhonda Price, Valley Center Booster Club, Valley Center Education
Foundation, Valley Center Lions Club, Valley Center Pizza Hut