- Role
- Finalist
- Region
- Sudbury
- Pronouns
- they/them/theirs, he/him/his
Antonia Gonzalez Cubillos
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Project
Can bacteria be silenced?
Project #5208
In our project, my partner and I studied how to stop bacteria from forming biofilms, which are slimy shields that protect them from medicine. Biofilms make bacteria up to 1,000 times harder to kill, making infections more dangerous and difficult to treat. Bacteria form biofilms through a process called quorum sensing, where they release chemicals to communicate. If their communication is cut off, they can’t build biofilms. We tested three natural compounds: Allicin (found in garlic), Devil’s Claw (a plant used in herbal medicine), and Quercetin (a compound found in fruits), to see if they could disrupt this process. We used two types of E. coli: regular and antibiotic-resistant. Our goal was to find a way to stop biofilms from forming, which could make these infections easier to treat. If we can block their communication, infections caused by biofilms could be less harmful in the future.
- Challenge
- Disease and Illness
- Category
- Intermediate
- Type
- Discovery
- Project Partner
- Yes