Speakers: Moriah Brown and Noe Hernandez
When: March 27th, 2026 at 11:00am
Where: KH A445 (Lincoln) and PKI 160 (Omaha)
Moriah Brown: Seasonal Variation and Co-Occurrence of Microplastics, Antibiotics
and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Shell Creek
Abstract: Microplastics (MPs), antibiotics, and antibioticresistant bacteria (ARB) are emerging contaminants of concern due to their persistence in aquatic habitats and potential impact on the ecosystem and human health. While prior studies have looked at MPs, antibiotics, and ARB separately, there has been little investigation into their co-occurrence within the same watershed, particularly in agriculturally dominated areas. The objective of this work is to investigate seasonal variation and potential co-occurrence of MPs, antibiotics, and ARB within the Shell Creek watershed.
Noe Hernandez: A One Health Surveillance System on Antimicrobial Resistance
Using ESBL-Producing E. Coli
Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat. For 12 months, 205 samples were collected monthly from seven sites encompassing animal, human, and environmental reservoirs. 71.7% of the samples contained Cefotaxime-resistant (CTXR) E. Coli, from which 123 underwent WGS.
Temporal and spatial relatedness were found among pathogenic lineages. Presence of antimicrobial resistant genes was linked to plasmid dynamics. These results demonstrate that this screening offers a scalable approach for ecosystem-based AMR monitoring.