Chris Browne, UR - Human Bacterium

(False-color scan electron micrograph courtesy of R. Friedlander & M. Bucaro.)

     E. coli, (Escherichia coli), sounds nasty, dangerous and something to be feared, right? Well, there’s plenty of it inside you right now. It’s a beneficial bacteria, and in my paper I will address all assumptions and angles for this little hitchhiker. Attending certain research criteria are met my IRP will dive into E. coli habitats, where it can be found, its biologic life cycle (Trafton, 2013) how and why it can be harmful to us and more typically third world countries (CDC, 2015). Local research will include Canal Street, New Smyrna. I’ll include different variables, when, what, why and how towards these bacterium.

     The assumptions that I have need a base or they need proper research to be refined. The way it looks so far is that this stuff is everywhere (Perry, 2013), especially in side us. My scientific question would be somewhere in the vicinity of: Where and why is E.coli showing up in canal street, and can certain measures be taken that would conclusively address the problem? It needs some refining, but there would be a lot of research to do, including what other communities around the world have done about similar if not identical problems.

E. coli ~ Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

    (Friedlander, 2013), and my only problem would be combing through such a vast subject. After I address local issues and possibilities, I may address the potential positive roles that microbiology (McAlpine, 2015), including E.coli research, have for us as a species. Sometimes it’s the smallest organisms that can make the biggest difference.

The internet and peer reviewed journals are full of research on this topic

~CMB

CDC. (2015). General Information. Retrieved from CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/general/index.html

Friedlander, R. (2013). Bacterial flagella explore microscale hummocks and hollows to increase adhesion. Retrieved from PNAS: http://www.pnas.org/content/110/14/5624.full

McAlpine, K. (2015). How new biosensors turn E. coli into something valuable. Retrieved from Harvard Gazette: http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/08/how-new-biosensors-turn-e-coli-into-something-valuable/

Perry, C. (2013). Clinging to crevices, E. coli thrive. Retrieved from Harvard SEAS: https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2013/04/clinging-crevices-e-coli-thrive

Trafton, A. (2013). How quickly can a bacterium grow? Retrieved from MIT News: http://news.mit.edu/2013/how-quickly-can-a-bacterium-grow-0827