Indiana State University professor receives grant from National Science Foundation
The grant will allow Dr. Justin Miller to study a specific bacterial species as well as provide students who come from underrepresented communities with mentorships and other opportunities on campus.
Dr. Justin Miller, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at Indiana State University, has been awarded $248,930 in grant funding from the National Science Foundation. The funding is for Dr. Miller to study Pseudomonas aeruginosa, bacteria that can live in soil and plants as well as animals and humans. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can communicate via chemical signals and Dr. Miller’s research will examine different types of fats and the chemical signals change. His funding will also help him provide opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds.
According to an article on Indiana State University’s website, Dr. Miller, who is a first-generation college student himself, shared why it is important to him to help students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed on campus. He said, “Several faculty mentors helped me greatly when I was a student navigating college life and considering what to do after graduation. I had little idea what opportunities were available to me, but these mentors played a major part in opening my career horizons. Besides supporting my research with and mentoring students in chemistry and biochemistry, this grant will enable me to develop campus-wide events to help students navigate college life. These events should enable our students to develop these transformational mentoring relationships with Indiana State University’s faculty, staff, and alumni.”
A new enzyme, CYP168A1, was recently discovered in the type of bacteria that Dr. Miller is studying. His research will focus on the changes the bacteria makes in different types of fats and studying how the Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria can make changes so quickly to become antibiotic resistant.
“Dr. Miller's work spotlights Indiana State University’s commitment to providing transformative educational experiences with our world-class faculty. This grant not only supports groundbreaking research in biochemistry but also offers invaluable opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds to engage in hands-on scientific learning. We are proud to support research and learning opportunities to inspire the next generation of scientists,” shared Dr. Christoper Olsen, the provost of Indiana State University.
The mentoring program that Dr. Miller is setting up with the help of the grant funding will provide Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Hispanic students with mentors from those specific communities who themselves are alumni. These mentors will help students with the research process, assist them in finding paid internships, and generally serve as role models. Dr. Miller hopes to also foster an interest in science and engineering through the mentoring program, as well.
For more information about Indiana State University, visit the school’s website.