Constance Russell

This externship will focus on a current problem related to health and agriculture under investigation in the biotechnology industry today; the development of novel antimicrobial agents and the evaluation of potential targets for new antimicrobial agents. Due to the devastating effects that microbes can have on humans, plants, animals and the environment, and the emergence of new pathogens like the H1N1 virus, understanding these processes is timely and important. The research questions in this fellowship and the laboratory techniques that are utilized are important in molecular biology and genetics and are widely used in the biotechnology industry. Ms. Russell will receive instruction in molecular biology/microbiology and current laboratory techniques used in molecular biology/biotechnology. She will be introduced to the projects currently underway in the FSU lab and will participate in a one-week mini-course that provides an overview of the use of microorganisms as research tools, bioinformatics, microbiology, and immunology and scientific communication.