Our fantastic visiting summer student, Rayiah, has spent the last ~8 weeks in the lab being fully
immersed in the world of natural products. From Alcorn State University in Mississippi, the Biology Pre-med major joined the lab as part of the Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) at Penn State. From collection to extraction to assaying, she has been engaged in looking at how the sticky monkey flower (Diplacus aurantiacus) could potentially combat bacterial infections. She has produced a range of fractions and tested them against methicillin-resistant 
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a leading resistant strain of bacteria. Monday, July 22, she gave a presentation on her results from the summer study, and absolutely nailed it. Congratulations Rayiah!