UMSS20 Student Profile: Jacob Cote

Jacob Cote, Microbiology
The Role of Prophage in Mycobacterial Antibiotic Resistance
Mentored by Sally Molloy

Jacob Cote is studying bacteriophage (bacterial viruses) in order to better understand antibiotic resistance and bacterial fitness. Bacteriophage are major contributors to the severity of diseases such as cholera and pathogenic E. coli. Cote’s goal is to better understand bacteriophage, so that he can help combat bacteriophage-mediated infections as well as difficult-to-treat bacterial infections caused by antibiotic resistance in which bacteriophage can play a role.

“Understanding how bacteriophage are influencing antibiotic resistance in bacteria could potentially allow us to turn back the clock on some of these diseases, and make currently hard to treat diseases like Tuberculosis much more accessible to those around the world,” says Cote.