TRAIN Scholar Justine Horton's Blog

Hi Everyone, This week was my first whole week in the lab. I focused mainly on calculations and locating everything I needed for the next few weeks. I also made fresh media this week. We made a few adjustments to last year's protocol in hopes that we get better jobs. We made adjustments by ordering flat bottom well plates to help bacterial biofilms stick better. We got an adhesive film to cover the plates to avoid too much evaporation and cross-contamination. By next week, I plan to plate some bacteria and measure the biofilms. (I had to autoclave my media and bottles to store it in)

With the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), we must find alternatives to manufactured antibiotics. This is where my study on Manuka Honey comes in. General honey is well known for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial characteristics. Manuka honey claims to be more antimicrobial due to its higher MGO concentration. I’ll compare general honey and manuka honey and its ability to inhibit biofilm growth in Staphylococcus Aureus. Biofilms are polysaccharide films that encompass a colony of bacteria. This issue is because it acts as a barrier between the bacteria and the environment. There are also issues with treating biofilm-forming bacteria with antibiotics. I hypothesize that Manuka Honey inhibits biofilm growth in Staphylococcus Aureus better than General Honey.