Mad science: Helena High School grad, Maria Brown makes important discovery
| June 22, 2008 |  View for printing |
Sometimes, inspiration for the biggest scientific advances can come from the most unexpected places.
Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin when he accidentally grew mold in his laboratory sink. For Helena’s Maria Brown, the source of inspiration was the slobber of a middle-school student’s dog.
Brown, a 2008 Helena High School graduate, isolated a mycobacteriophage, or phage for short, as a project she took on last summer with the help of Montana Tech’s Phagedigging Program.
Phages are viruses that can infect and kill bacteria. Brown and her colleagues at Montana Tech — program director Marisa Pedulla and graduate student Jason Park — hope someday it can be used to treat tuberculosis, which is a serious health threat in the developing world.
By JOE MENDEN - Independent Record
Full Story: http://helenair.com/articles/2008/06 ... science.txt
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