From 2008 through 2011, the UMBC Biological Sciences Department participated in the National Genomics Research Initiative's Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (PHAGES) program, funded by the HHMI's Science Education Alliance. An innovative research experience taught by Mr. James Sandoz and Dr. Steve Caruso, the two-semester course sequence exposed non-STEM-major students to the process of scientific discovery.

In Fall 2012, Phage Hunting came back to UMBC bigger and better than ever. The fall version of Molecular and General Genetics Lab (BIOL 302L) has been modeled after the first half of the original Phage Hunters course sequence. The 80 students enrolled in this class have had the rare and exciting opportunity to engage in genuine, continuous research, rather than participate in the more typical canned labs used in traditional science lab courses.

From Monday, December 3rd, through Thursday, December 6th, Dr. Caruso and his Fall 2012 BIOL 302L class invite the campus community to their poster sessions in the Atrium of Schwartz Hall in the Biological Sciences Building. Participating students and faculty will be on hand to discuss the progress of their work from approximately 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm on each of those days. 

Four of the bacteriophages being described in these posters will be sequenced during the winter break, with one or more used for analysis in BIOL 316L - modeled after the second half of the original Phage Hunters course sequence - during Spring 2013.

(Thumbnail photo from BIOL215H/216H results)