Home Department: Biology
Mentor: Jason Andrews (Medicine - Infectious Diseases)

“Identification and Characterization of Bacteriophages Infecting Salmonella typhi and Mechanisms of Resistance”

In previous sewer samples collected in Palo Alto, unspecific typhoid phages were uncovered. As this is unexpected in an area without endemic typhoid, further research is necessary to explain these findings. This project would include collecting more samples, then isolating and characterizing discovered phages based on the sensitivity of Salmonella typhi and other bacterial strains; if time allows, Ellie is also investigating if typhi strains can develop resistance to these phages, and if so, through what mechanism(s). This project will complement work in the lab on Salmonella typhi and typhoid phage ecology in Nepal and typhi resistance mechanisms.