BCGS secures a national opportunity for Science Students
Posted on: 18/07/2017Barton Court is one of only 4 schools selected by the Microbiology Society to take part in its programme to discover new antibiotics from soil based microbes. Barton Court submitted a bid based on analysing the pond mud on the Barton Court site. This pond is mentioned in the Doomsday Book and has had at least 1000 years of microbial cultures growing in it.
The School has partnered with Dr A Tsaousis, a lecturer in Molecular Parasitology at the University of Kent Biosciences Department. Sixth Form students in Year 13 and new entrants into Year 12 in September will have the opportunity to sample a soil of their choice and take part in a series of laboratory sessions looking for new antibacterial compounds.
The programme is flexible and allows the partnership to develop the investigations to suit the skills and interests of the students. Already several students have planned EPQs and BA Crest Gold Awards around this project.
The Schools has been awarded funding by the Microbiology Society to cover the training for setting up this project and for the resourcing of a microbiology programme.
