Shaina Linker

My project is about the antibiotic resistant bacteria colonies known as Biofilms. Biofilms are the causes of many infections on the human body, and their removal can be challenging since antibiotics do not kill them. My experiment explores  the enzyme Amylase which is commonly found in saliva, and how it can inhibit further biofilm growth and spread. When coming up with an idea for this project, I was researching about projects including amylase, and at first found out about Amylase inhibitors. Turns out, there was no way to test this project, so I did more research and came across Biofilms. The title of my project is The Inhibitory Effects of Amylase on Biofilm Formation. I was most excited to learn about Biofilms, as they are such a relevant and concerning problem since they cannot be killed by antibiotics. Biofilms can grow in places like your ears, mouth, lungs, and artificial implants. It was also interesting for me to find out that the plaque on your teeth is actually Biofilms. My experiment is actually growing a biofilm using the same bacteria commonly found in the mouth, and treating it with amylase, a salivary enzyme.