When it comes to biological research, NHTI – Concord’s Community College is on the cusp of discovery: This spring, 7 former and 3 current NHTI students have published a paper in the online journal PubMed exploring the genetic makeup of a bacteriophage, a virus that acts as a parasite in a bacterium by infecting and reproducing inside it.
The paper, “Genome Sequence of Arthrobacter globiformis phage MaGuCo,” introduces the reader to MaGuCo, a temperate phage isolated from a soil sample collected in Alton, N.H. The authors identified the phage’s genome as containing more than 43,000 base pairs.
Two of the students, Amanda Diggins and Rachel Pitt, have spent their academic year focusing on research for the INBRE, or IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence. Amanda and Rachel have been previously cited in GenBank, the National Institute of Health’s genetic sequence database and an annotated collection of all publicly available DNA sequences, as a result of the work they completed in NHTI’s Genetics course in Fall 2022.
“These students’ research contributes to the growing field of biomedical research,” says Dr. Patrick Tompkins, NHTI president. “NHTI inspires and prepares students for the coming age of scientific research.” Beth Wilkes, professor in NHTI’s Department of Natural Sciences, said, “These students accomplished excellent work, and their achievements have been recognized. “There are already plans moving forward to capitalize and grow their research into more publications in medical journals.”
NHTI has earned its reputation for excellence in STEM programs. Opening in 1965 as New Hampshire Technical Institute with three engineering technology programs, NHTI excels in preparing the next generation of academics, researchers, and workers for the rigors and rewards of work in their chosen STEM fields. The school, whose name changed in 2008 to reflect a larger academic focus, offers both 2-year degree and certificate programs with transferable credit opportunities to 4-year institutions.
To learn more about NHTI’s biomedical research programs, including Biology, Environmental Sciences, and Sustainable Agriculture, visit catalog.NHTI.edu.
