Co-Principal Investigators: Wesley Crow

Logan Burks

Cole Klinkhammer

Samuel Sheahan

THE EFFECT OF MICROGRAVITY ON BACTERIAL GROWTH AND

ITS RESISTANCE TO ANTIBIOTICS.

THE EXPERIMENTThe 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 RESULTSPenicillin 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

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

Microgravity Test Results

Ground Truth Results

CONCLUSION• Why is microgravity a more advantageous environment for

bacterial growth?

• Our Hypothesis

• Future Experimentation

• Other bacteria

• Viruses

• How can this be applied?

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThank 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 SchoolValley Center Public Schools

Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS)National Center for Earth and Space Science EducationKansas Space Grant ConsortiumAirbus North AmericaArk Valley NewsCapps ManufacturingCargillCoonrod & AssociatesExacta AerospaceiSi EnvironmentalKAKE TVKansas Cosmosphere & Space CenterWichita 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