July 7, 2017
In New Jersey we are proud of our state flower, the Common Meadow Violet (Viola sororia), and the state bird, the American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis). Microbes are a major component of our soil['s ecology: Filamentous bacteria (Streptomyces) give the soil that wonderful earthy aroma (geosmin), they turn over organic materials to maintain soil fertility, and are also a major source of today?s antibiotics. Yet, we lack a state microbe.
To date, only Oregon has recognized a state microbe, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, yeast, the basis of brewing, in recognition of the state's many small craft breweries. Wisconsin and Hawaii are considering naming state microbes as well. The microbe Streptomyces griseus, discovered in New Jersey, has dramatically advanced world health and thus merits state recognition.
Streptomycin was discovered by Albert Schatz, Elizabeth Bugie and Selman Waksman in January of 1944. It was truly remarkable in the breadth of pathogens that it attacked, including Vibrio cholerae (cholera) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), against both of which penicillin, the only other antibiotic at that time, had no effect. The discovery of streptomycin radically changed public health...
Read more about the State Microbe Initiative
View Featured Reports:
- Meet the NJ Microbe on Simply Science
- WHYY interview with Max Haggblom and Jeff Boyd
- Bill Passes Both Houses!
- NJ Assembly votes on bill to designate state microbe
- NJ Senate votes unanimously to designate state microbe
- NorthJersey.com: How Albert Schatz and Selman Waksman discovered Streptomycin
- NJ.com: Meet Streptomyces Griseus
- 94.5 WPST
- WNYC
- New Jersey Monthly
- Liberty Science Center Announces Support for State Microbe
- NJTV covers "Microbes Rule" at Liberty Science Center
- The Daily Targum
- Audio of NJ State Assembly hearing, Sept. 17, (at 27:10) feat. statements by Dr. John Warhol (28:33), Professor Emeritus Doug Eveleigh (32:40) and Assoc. Prof. Jeff Boyd (41:00).
- Featured in NJ Spotlight!