The university purchased a microbial identification system with the $381,870 Major Research Instrumentation grant it was awarded in the Fall 2024 semester.
In the Fall 2024 semester, Eastern Kentucky University was awarded a $381,870 Major Research Instrumentation grant from the National Science Foundation. The university has used that funding to bolster the scientific equipment available in its Science Building by purchasing a microbial identification system, a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer, which will allow students and faculty to quickly identify bacteria and pathogens from samples. As part of the grant project that allowed for the equipment purchase, the school anticipates that it will organize outreach opportunities to give high school students the ability to use the microbial identification system within the Environmental Research Lab.
According to an article on Eastern Kentucky University’s website, Dr. Jason Marion, who is a professor of environmental health science and the principal investigator for the grant received from the National Science Foundation, was quoted as saying, “The MALDI-TOF instrumentation is a game-changing instrument in modern microbiology and medical diagnostics. This award and instrument will be used to simultaneously support the development of our students as future scientists while also addressing emerging research questions.”
The MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight) mass spectrometer is now housed in the Science Building at Eastern Kentucky University, which is rather unique, as the only other similar machines in the state are housed in academic medical buildings or public health labs. Having the machine at EKU will allow for the school to provide its STEM students with the ability to study microorganisms in a way many other students won’t have the opportunity to do, better preparing them for careers in biology and environmental health science.
Marion said, “By bolstering the research infrastructure at EKU and throughout the Appalachian region, this initiative seeks to increase the competitiveness of proposals that will provide more support for hands-on student research and increase the STEM workforce. The project aims to accelerate research on microorganisms, paving the way for new discoveries and interdisciplinary collaborations.”
The MALDI-TOF is already providing EKU students with important research opportunities. Kylee Phillips, a biomedical science major, presented her research entitled “Comparison of Microscan and MALDI-TOF-Mass Spectrometry Identification Methods for E. coli Isolates from Natural Waters in Kentucky,” at Harvard University.
Phillips said, “Recent innovations using MALDI-TOF-Mass Spectrometry have improved the time and precision in obtaining bacteria species identifications for known clinical isolates of E. coli among many other bacteria. This instrument has become a gold standard for microbiological identification.”
David McFaddin, the university’s president, believes this equipment, and the grant funding, show off the capabilities of the university. He is quoted as saying, “Our impressive Science Building houses high-tech labs and resources that fuel groundbreaking discoveries right here on our campus. We have science faculty working hand-in-hand with students on research in water quality, cancer treatment and diagnostics, solar energy, therapies for traumatic brain injury, and much more. Awards like this show how EKU’s reach extends beyond the classroom, giving students real-world experience and making a real impact in research advancements.”
For more information about Eastern Kentucky University, visit the school’s website.