Spinning Straw into Gold

Growing up with a chromosome deficient brother, Tanner Welsch decided at a young age to dedicate his life to learning and to helping others. Now on a path to pursue an MD/PhD, the junior in Biological Sciences at Fort Hays State University seizes every opportunity to advance his research and to shadow physicians in a variety of different specialties.

“My brother has had one of the greatest impacts on my decision to pursue a medical degree and inspired me to help others,” says Welsch. “I wanted to know why my brother was the way he was and that made me very inquisitive. Though we can’t change my brother’s condition, my parents, sister and I have worked hard as a team to help ensure his quality of life.”

T Welsch
Tanner Welsch, a junior in Biological Sciences at Fort Hays State University, gathers soil samples for his research on antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Improving the quality of life is at the center of Welsch’s research, which is testing for traces of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in soil samples from residential sites.

“We know that antibacterial agents such as triclosan are found in a variety of consumer products, including hand soaps, shower gels, deodorant soaps, toothpastes, mouthwashes and underarm deodorants,” Welsch explains. “Because bacteria resistant to triclosan have been detected in wastewater, surface water, ground water, sediments and soil, we want to learn if triclosan-resistant microorganisms may directly contribute to the evolution of microorganisms resistant to antibiotics as well.”

Welsch hopes his research will lead to improvements in treatments for infectious diseases, a growing concern with the increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

This spring, Welsch earned a Star Trainee grant from the K-INBRE. The Star Trainee program is designed to identify outstanding prospective biomedical researchers, who are supported with a $7,500 scholarship during their senior year. An additional $2,500 is allocated to the advisor/mentor.

“Tanner’s work shows great promise,” says Eric Gillock, PhD, Welsch’s mentor at Fort Hays. “He brings an inquisitive mind and a passion for biomedical research to this effort, and we want to encourage him in his career.”

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Publisher and K-INBRE Director
Joan S. Hunt

Associate Director
Peter Smith

Assistant Director
Heiata Chapman

Administrative Assistant
Janette Lyon

Undergraduate Support Core Director
S. Keith Chapes

Bioinformatics Core Director
Gerald Lushington

K-INBRIEF Managing Editor
Renee VanErp

K-INBRIEF Design
Karen Chinn

Campus Coordinators:
K. J. Abraham, Langston University; Janice Barton, Washburn University; Tim Burnett, Emporia State University; S. Keith Chapes, Kansas State University; Bridgett Chapin, Haskell Indian Nations University; William Hendry, Wichita State University; Michael Madden, Fort Hays State University; James Orr, Kansas University—Lawrence; and Virginia Rider, Pittsburg State University.

K-INBRIEF is published by the Kansas IDeA Office based at the University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., Mail Stop 3050, Kansas City, Kansas 66160-7104. For additional information, contact Renee VanErp, 913-588-9819.

This newsletter is made possible by NIH Grant # P20 RR16475 from the INBRE program of the National Center for Research Resources. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIH. To learn more about the K-INBRE, visit www.kumc.edu/kinbre.