Alex Guzman-Vargas (center), a student researcher with Ferris State University’s Shimadzu
Core Laboratory from Wyoming, prepares to meet other participants during a poster
presentation session at the “Go With The Flow” Conference on wastewater monitoring
held in May, at the Michigan State University Union Building.
Student investigators from Ferris State University’s Shimadzu Core Laboratory for Academic and Research Excellence showcased their work in wastewater monitoring poster presentations at the “Go With The Flow” Conference, held recently in Michigan State University’s Union Building.
Shimadzu Core Lab Director Schuyler “Sky” Pike said Ferris is part of the Michigan Network for Environmental Technology (MiNet), a statewide collaborative of academic laboratories, health department researchers and private environmental businesses across the state. MiNET is overseen by state departments such as Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), and the Joan Rose Laboratory at Michigan State University.
“The Joan Rose Laboratory establishes standard operating procedures for the network’s efforts in wastewater monitoring activities and outdoor testing,” Pike said. “Dr. Rose, the lead investigator in the laboratory bearing her name, provided the foundational work for the accomplishments of this collaboration. MiNet has the full attention of the federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention as Michigan is unique in its collaborative statewide wastewater monitoring efforts, which make us leaders nationally.”
This is a group photo shot at the conference of the attendeees.
Pike said Michigan federal and state legislators observed and participated as U.S. Senator Gary Peters offered a keynote address. The network’s collaborative response efforts were addressed in reports during the conference and breakout sessions discussing best practices and other concerns.
“SARS-Co-V-2, more commonly known as the ‘COVID-19 virus,’ has been the network’s primary focus for the last three years, but the CDC believes this research framework can develop findings to support responses in a variety of public health concerns, like Influenza outbreaks and tracking other pathogens,” Pike said.
The Shimadzu Core Lab anticipates research activity expansion to better pinpoint variants for SARS-Co-V-2 and other viruses and bacterium of public health concern.
“We hope to switch to a new method called gene sequencing that will look past the commonalities and overlapping information found in the SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern,” Pike said. “For these efforts, we plan to partner with researchers at Grand Valley State University’s Annis Water Resources Institute to determine our next steps.”
Event attendees took interest in the student poster presentations.
“The CDC showed great interest in our findings from rural communities, which is unique for this area of study,” Pike said. “Our lab specializes in the smaller towns, as the Ferris campus community and greater Big Rapids comprises about 20,000 people, the largest population of the six cities we test, including Ludington, Reed City, Cadillac, Lake City and Grayling. Lake City in Missaukee County is also in our research area, which has less than 1,000 residents in the winter.”
Pike said his student team found a significant learning opportunity at the conference while demonstrating its contribution to this collaboration.
“The MiNet members are in a position to build on the development of wastewater testing as a resource for the sake of improved global public health,” Pike said. “All these opportunities are possible because of our partners at municipal water plants across our region. They provide the materials necessary to take up these studies, so we can offer students valuable research experience and produce meaningful results.”