Exploring the Microbial Diversity of the Carlson Lab Microbial Library
Poster Number
30
Faculty Mentor Name
Skylar Carlson
Research or Creativity Area
Natural Sciences
Abstract
The Carlson Lab Microbe Library at the University of the Pacific is home to a diverse library of microbes isolated from soil, algae, as well as marine and aquatic environments from across North America. Environmental samples were ethically collected from Michigan, Puerto Rico, Washington, Florida, and California, capturing a broad range of ecological settings including tropical, temperate, freshwater, coastal, marine, soil, and forested lake habitats. The library contains 27 boxes of approximately 81 cryovials each with many strains duplicated for safe keeping. This presentation will break down the distribution of the microbial library between fungi and bacteria and discuss the various collection sites and diversity plating techniques. This microbial library is the heart of various on-going research projects in the Carlson Lab and has created research opportunities for over 100 undergraduate and 45 high school students over the last two years. These microbes are grown and extracted to build a chemical library. The library is stored in a high-throughput format to expedite screening for anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal natural products. These microbes are the heart of the broader goal to identify novel compounds for future therapeutic use.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to document and analyze the microbial diversity stored in the Carlson Lab Microbe Library, which includes bacteria and fungi collected from a variety of ecological environments across North America. The goal is to understand the distribution of the library and the methods used for isolating and preserving these microbes, while supporting research focused on identifying natural compounds with potential therapeutic applications.
Results
The microbial library currently contains 27 boxes with approximately 81 cryovials each, many of which are duplicated for preservation. Samples were collected from five regions representing diverse environments: tropical, temperate, freshwater, marine, and forested habitats. The microbes have been successfully isolated using diversity plating techniques and grown for chemical extraction and storage in a high-throughput format.
Significance
This work is significant because it creates a valuable and diverse biological resource that supports the discovery of novel anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal compounds. The library enables ongoing research projects and has provided research opportunities for over 100 undergraduate and 45 high school students, contributing to education and scientific development. It also has the potential to lead to therapeutic breakthroughs by identifying new natural products.
Location
University of the Pacific, DeRosa University Center
Start Date
26-4-2025 10:00 AM
End Date
26-4-2025 1:00 PM
Exploring the Microbial Diversity of the Carlson Lab Microbial Library
University of the Pacific, DeRosa University Center
The Carlson Lab Microbe Library at the University of the Pacific is home to a diverse library of microbes isolated from soil, algae, as well as marine and aquatic environments from across North America. Environmental samples were ethically collected from Michigan, Puerto Rico, Washington, Florida, and California, capturing a broad range of ecological settings including tropical, temperate, freshwater, coastal, marine, soil, and forested lake habitats. The library contains 27 boxes of approximately 81 cryovials each with many strains duplicated for safe keeping. This presentation will break down the distribution of the microbial library between fungi and bacteria and discuss the various collection sites and diversity plating techniques. This microbial library is the heart of various on-going research projects in the Carlson Lab and has created research opportunities for over 100 undergraduate and 45 high school students over the last two years. These microbes are grown and extracted to build a chemical library. The library is stored in a high-throughput format to expedite screening for anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal natural products. These microbes are the heart of the broader goal to identify novel compounds for future therapeutic use.
