Lee University students and faculty recently returned from an opportunity to present at the annual Conference on Bacteriophages in Washington, D.C. Drs. Jonathan Cornett, Joseph Daft, and Lori West, all professors of biology at Lee, accompanied Lee students Jessie Holsombeck, Amanda Ledford, and William Myers, biomedical science majors, with pre-medical emphasis, as they presented their research.  
 
“The Conference on Bacteriophages provided an exceptional opportunity for our students to engage with leading experts in the field,” said West. “They not only attended presentations by renowned researchers from prestigious institutions around the world but also presented their own work. The feedback they received was both affirming and insightful, offering valuable direction for future studies. This professional development experience was equally enriching for faculty, inspiring new ideas for research collaborations and future student projects.” 
 
This experience was made possible through the acceptance of Lee University into the SEA-PHAGES (Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science) program administered by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education division and Dr. Graham Hatfull’s team at the University of Pittsburgh.  
 
SEA-PHAGES is a two-semester, discovery-based undergraduate research course that begins with digging in soil to find new viruses. The research progresses through a variety of microbiology techniques and eventually complex genome annotation and bioinformatic analyses. 
 
Myers, a sophomore, presented his research “Comparison of Bacteriophages Annapurna and ELee24 from the EF and EE Cluster,” co-authored by Daft. The project involved isolating two different bacteriophages from soil samples collected by students. After the samples were sent for testing at the University of Pittsburgh, the genomes were annotated, and host reactivity tests were run for comparison between the two bacteriophages. 
 
“It was an incredible honor to be able to go on this trip and have the rare opportunity to learn from some of the most prominent labs and universities in the world,” said Myers. “I not only learned so much more about viruses and presented my own research to other professors and students, but it further empowered me to spark new questions regarding this field of science, and that the possibility for new discoveries is endless.” 
 
Holsombeck and Ledford’s work, “Exploration of Cytotoxicity of TChen Genes Expressed in Mycobacterium smegmatis” was co-authored by Cornett and West. The team researched the promise of bacteriophages as an alternative to antibiotics. Out of the 12 genes they looked at, two showed potential, providing insights that may guide future phage research and the development of phage treatments against bacterial infections. 
 
“This was one of my best experiences during my time at Lee,” said Ledford. “We were surrounded by experts in the field, graduate students, and postdocs from many prestigious institutions around the world. I was in awe of the people that we met and all of the new insights that we learned. Being surrounded by such incredible and experienced researchers was intimidating, but I was able to understand much of the diverse research presentations. This is a testament to how impactful Lee’s mentorship, SEA-Phage, and SEA-GENES programs are in forging scientific understanding and advancement well beyond campus borders.” 
 
First author presenters Holsombeck and Myers were chosen to receive scholarships to cover the cost of their registration for the conference, a prize of $695 per person.  
 
“This opportunity was absolutely incredible,” said Holsombeck. “To be an undergraduate student in a room full of doctoral students, postdocs, scientists, physicians, and physician-scientists was such an inspiring experience. I was amazed by the variety and depth of research being done in the field of bacteriophages, and I felt truly honored to present our research among so many like-minded individuals who shared a passion for phages. I especially loved discussing our research with those who were genuinely interested and asked thoughtful, engaging questions.” 
 
Cornett, a Lee alumnus, joined Lee’s full-time faculty in 2012. He earned his doctorate in genetics and molecular biology from Emory University and completed his postdoctoral studies in the genetics department at the Yale University School of Medicine. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals, such as Nature Genetics, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, and PLoS One. 
 
Daft, an associate professor of biology and health science, joined Lee’s College of Arts and Sciences in 2015. He earned his doctorate in pathology with a focus on diabetes-based pathology and immunology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and his Bachelor of Science from Juniata College. While at UAB, Daft served as a graduate research assistant and teaching assistant. He has also been a research fellow at the University of Toledo and an adjunct professor at the University of Montevallo. 
 
West joined Lee’s Natural Science and Mathematics faculty in 2006 and now serves as a distinguished professor of biology and assistant chairperson for the Department of Natural Sciences. West is actively engaged in student research through the SEA-PHAGES and SEA-GENES programs, resulting in the publication of several bacteriophage genomes. She also supports K-12 education as a guest scientist, performing demonstrations and experiments at local schools. West earned her PhD from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her BA from Maryville College.    
 
For more information about the conference, visit iasusa.org/bacteriophage-conference/.  
 
For more information about the SEA-PHAGES and SEA-GENES program, visit seaphages.org/institution/LEEU/.