Columbia State Community College students recently showed outstanding academic achievement after having their research published in a nationally-recognized scientific journal.

Seven students in Associate Professor Dr. Elvira Eivazova’s Honors General Biology research courses used samples to discover and characterize bacteriophages (viruses that only infect bacteria that live on grass). The discovery was made on the Columbia State campus and then imaged at the Middle Tennessee State University electron microscopy facility (MIMIC). These bacteriophages are entirely unique and had not yet been seen, categorized or researched by any laboratory or research institution in the United States.

The full-length research article was published online in the peer-reviewed scientific journal PubMed in December 2024.

The article, “Complete genome sequence of Microbacterium foliorum singleton phage Magritte,” was written and researched by Eivazova, along with Columbia State students Jenna St. Pierre from Maury County, Miriam Galindo from Williamson County, James Bautista from Marshall County, Annaleisa Matzirakis from Williamson County, Madalyn Falletti from Lincoln County, Elynor Fix from Williamson County and Levi Fritsch from Maury County.

“Columbia State students are making important contributions to science by discovering, analyzing and annotating new bacteriophages,” said Eivazova, Columbia State associate professor of biology and Tennessee Board of Regents High Impact Practices ambassador. “Our students are the best!”

This achievement marks the first time the Columbia State Biology Department has published a full-length research article in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Several of the student co-authors have since graduated and are continuing their education at four-year institutions.

James Bautista is studying aerospace engineering and Madalyn Faletti is studying biology at the University of Alabama, Huntsville. Elynor Fix is a pre-health professions major at Vanderbilt University. Miriam Galindo is studying business at the Middle Tennessee State University Honors College. Annaleisa Matzirakis is studying biotechnology at Auburn University. Jenna St. Pierre completed a bachelor's degree in anthropology at Middle Tennessee State University.

Levi Fritsch is currently enrolled at Columbia State pursuing an Associate of Science degree in computer science.

Columbia State offers two research classes taught by Eivazova. They include Honors BIOL1110/BIOL1120, Introduction to Biology Research, BIOL2901 and BIOL2902.

Undergraduate research is one of the High Impact Practices (HIPs) of teaching and learning that shows significant educational benefits for students who participate. The Tennessee Board of Regents’ current goal is to embed HIPs into all academic pathways to allow students to experience at least two HIPs before they complete an associate degree.

The article is also listed online in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). To learn more about the article, click here.