Three River Bluff High School students are making waves in scientific research through a unique mentorship opportunity at the University of South Carolina's College of Pharmacy.
Under the guidance of Ph.D. candidate Elizaveta Korunova and the lab of Misha Shtutman, director of the Functional Genomics Core in the COBRE Center for Targeted Therapeutics, the students are investigating the effects of common food dyes on bacterial growth, with potential implications for human health.
The research team, comprised of River Bluff High School students Shawn Li, Rose Zhu, and George Wang, is examining how synthetic food colorings Red 40 and Yellow 5 – commonly found in processed foods – affect bacterial growth patterns. Their weekend experiments are providing valuable insights into how these additives might influence the human microbiome.
"When I was approached by high school students eager to perform an experiment they had designed for a scientific conference, I was truly inspired by their enthusiasm," says Korunova. "It was exciting to see young scientists tackle real-world questions and learn how to approach them scientifically."
The students' findings are particularly noteworthy, showing results comparable to published studies on the effects of food dyes on bacterial growth. Their work could contribute to broader discussions about food safety regulations and public health.
It was exciting to see young scientists tackle real-world questions and learn how to approach them scientifically.
Wang says he and his fellow students gained experience that they could not have learned in a high school lab.
“Working in a lab gives valuable insight as to whether I want to pursue a career working in a lab,” he says. “We also learned how to use equipment and how things need to be prepped so that everything is safe.”
Dr. Lorne Hofseth, associate dean of research at the USC College of Pharmacy, praised the initiative's success: "Liza demonstrated exceptional mentorship, guiding these impressionable students through every stage of the scientific process. A great mentor inspires both learning and enthusiasm, and Liza exemplified this perfectly."
The program exemplifies USC's commitment to fostering scientific education while providing valuable research experience to aspiring young scientists.
Topics: Research, Drug Discovery & Biomedical Sciences, Graduate Programs