Antibiotic resistant outbreak investigation module
The evolution of resistance to antibiotics provides a timely and relevant topic for teaching undergraduate students fundamentals of evolutionary biology. This module incorporates data from eight antibiotic resistant outbreaks investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide real-life examples of antibiotic resistance spread. Students work in groups to analyze outbreak data in order to identify the bacterial strain, the antibiotic resistance genes present in the outbreak, and to build a phylogenetic tree to examine relatedness and determine a potential the source of the outbreak. Students then compile their results in individual reports and provide recommendations for preventing the further spread of antibiotic resistance. Outbreak and meta data, a bioinformatics protocol, and teaching concepts/notes focusing on natural selection, competition and phylogenetics can be found below. Completion of this module provides students an opportunity to think critically about the evolution of resistance, practice bioinformatics techniques, and relate evolutionary biology to current events.
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