Westminster College junior Ethan Moore is spending his summer months tackling one of the toughest challenges in modern medicine: antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Moore, a biochemistry major from Hookstown, Pa., is one of six students selected for Westminster’s ninth annual Summer Research Fellowship, a prestigious opportunity for students to engage in faculty-mentored research.

Under the guidance of Dr. Erin Wilson, associate professor of chemistry, Moore is investigating the “Influence of Lignin Nanoparticles on Biofilm Structure and Development in Bacteria Cultures.” His research focuses on an innovative approach to combatting bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics using lignin—a substance derived from paper production.

Outside of the lab, Moore is also active on campus as vice president of Gamma Sigma Epsilon, the honors chemistry society. He also enjoys hiking, snowboarding and spending time with friends and family.

What is the focus of your summer research project?
The project focuses on treating antibiotic resistant bacteria—currently Pseudomonas aeruginosa—using a byproduct of the paper industry called lignin. These bacteria are resistant to traditional treatment methods due to a substance they produce called biofilm. 

What do you hope to accomplish with your research?
In the future, we would like to coat medical implants with lignin in order to reduce infection rates. The coating can prevent a dangerous type of bacterial infection known as biofilm from attaching to and growing on the surfaces of things like medical devices. The process converts bulk lignin into lignin nanoparticles and coats surfaces by spraying a suspension of these particles onto glass slides.  Once dried, the coating is created and then bacteria are introduced and grown for a period of time to measure the amount of biofilm growth.

What led you to this research topic?
I became interested in this work after going to a previous student’s presentation on the subject. I wanted to continue his work and see what further insight I could provide for the project.

What have you learned from the research so far?
This project has shown that lignin is effective in reducing the growth of biofilm and bacteria. In the future, we plan to try and understand how this process works as well as attempt to modify the lignin to increase its effectiveness.

“Being able to learn how to conduct research under the guidance of my professors has given me the confidence to continue this as a career in the future. I can’t wait to continue working with Dr. Wilson on this project in the fall and to see what more we can do,” said Moore.

“It’s great to work with such a talented and dedicated student as Ethan.  When he wasn’t in the lab, he was doing extensive reading on a wide variety of topics related to the project and generating great ideas. I look forward to continuing to work with him on the project,” said Wilson.

Learn more about Westminster’s Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry here.

Sponsored by the Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research, Summer Research Fellowships at Westminster College allow students to conduct hands-on research and creative projects under the guidance of our experienced faculty mentors.

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