Exploring Antibiotic Resistance

The discovery of Penicillin was a major game-changer for the human race in the twentieth century. With the sudden discovery of antibiotics, we gained a weapon against an invisible enemy. Since that first discovery of Penicillin, many other antibiotics have been developed for use against the broad range of pathogenic microbes; each with their strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, this weapon has become blunted from overuse in the past decades; leading to antibiotic resistance.

In this practical, students will investigate a selection of antibiotics and observe the efficacy of each against E. coli. Students will gain experience in aseptic technique. Furthermore, students will have the opportunity to understand susceptibility, resistance and inhibition as the words relate to microbes and antimicrobials. They will also gain an understanding that antibiotics are not universal - one that works against one species of bacteria may not work against another.

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