SciArt module leader Sam Illingworth put me in contact with his colleague and friend James Redfern, a postdoc microbiologist at MMU, to get tailored advice for my project.

The microbiology research group researches microorganisms on hygienic surfaces such as in hospitals and food production plants. For example, they have explored breweries and yogurt factories, where any cross-contamination could spoilt the product or lead to illness. In current research they are utilising genomics (DNA sequencing) to explore how different strands of the microbe Pseudomonas aeruginosa behave on hospital surfaces. Redfern is also concerned with microbiology education, public dissemination of research, and linking with other fields such as public planning, because the issue of antibiotic resistance is incredibly pertinent for human survival.

Below is a summary of my findings from our initial conversation conducted over email, where I asked questioned that had been raised by my research up to this stage.

I am planning to grown microbes from the studio where I collaborate with a learning disabled artist, and envision taking samples from surfaces such as the walls, paint brush bristles, and the sink. Although I know microbes are everywhere, my gut instinct is that I won’t achieve such dramatic results as sampling from surfaces such as food or human bodies. This is a concern because it would be disappointing to carry out the whole project and yield no results!

Redfern responded that:

“Microorganisms are ubiquitous. They are everywhere. It is likely they would be on every surface and inside everything solid or liquid you can get your hands on.”

However he did note that some surfaces might have been sterilised and these won’t lead to results. I am aware that the studio has a weekly visit from a cleaner, so I plan to observe them over one session to see what cleaning material they use (is it antibacterial?) and where they use it. I know that the cleaner visits on a Tuesday, so perhaps the best time for me to take samples will be on Monday afternoon/evening, giving the surfaces the longest time possible to harbour life before cleaning.

Redfern also explained that tins of paint usually have biocides added to stop it going mouldy on the shelf, so this may be a surface that doesn’t lend itself to this project. (However the idea of paint going mouldy has a real aesthetic appeal and may be something I try to incorporate into this or a future project.)

It was also noted that the type of surface will affect the sample. Some surfaces, such as stainless steel, is likely to have few nutrients on it, so while there may be microorganisms present, there will not be enough to recover. Also, if the surface is rough, it may be more difficult to recover a sample. A surface that appears to be smooth to the naked eye may be very rough at a microbial level. When selecting surfaces to collect samples from, I should consider these factors. I will look into what types of surfaces support more nutrients and have greater smoothness.

Additionally, the type of agar will also affect what grows. I am going to explore agar in more depth in a future post.

I will be undertaking what is known as ‘environmental sampling’ because it takes place outside of the lab. This throws up some difficulties when considering how to control the project and keep it scientifically credible.

Redfern emphasised that I should control for as many things as possible and this will be supported by developing, and sticking to, a methodology. Things to consider when developing a methodology include:

• What size will the sample area on each surface be? This may be difficult if the objects that samples are collected from are all different sizes, i.e. paintbrushes have a much smaller surface area than a door.
• What direction(s) will I swab?
• How many times will I swab in each direction?

What I find interesting about these questions and considerations is that although they are designed to create a scientific methodology, they also lend themselves towards an aesthetic strategy. This is when I start to feel the colliding of art and science. For example, I could design a pattern or shape to swab, as through drawing or painting with the sampling stick. Some sampling sticks I have seen resemble pencils or wands (with a looped end). Finding the links between the materials of art and science is exciting territory. I am rather mindful that, although I wish to achieve a level of scientific credibility, this project does not exist as an objective exploration but rather an artistic one, and so my hand can be visible to an appropriate degree.

Equally as important is to avoid the risk of cross-contamination (so I know that what I grow comes from my sample area), and controlling variables such as temperature and light. Using the lab will make this simpler. However, if I grow the Petri dishes at home or in the studio and these variables cannot be controlled for, I will need to monitor and report that info with the results.

On the topic of potential health and safety risks, Redfern says:

“We always assume anything we grow is potentially pathogenic, this is the basic assumption we work under, and therefore treat everything with care. If you are sampling an unknown, this is even more important as you have no idea what will grow. Once you have cultured onto an agar plate, we tend to seal them so they cannot be opened again (unless experiments require so).”

I intend to seal my Petri dishes. I have seen this done with clear tape and masking tape, sometimes horizontally around the edge and sometimes strips places vertically across. The type/colour/material of tape I use and how I place it is another element for me to consider aesthetically.

As I don’t intend to make ‘straight’ Petri dishes and instead plan to make them into small, living artworks through the use of additives such as photographs, paint or ink I also need to be aware that changing the parameters is likely to change the growth of the microorganisms. However, because every type of organism will react differently to every change, it is difficult to say exactly how it will be affected. Adding paint or dye could potentially hinder, promote, or change the direction of growth.

And finally it seems that I have gotten a few things wrong about the links between microorganisms and mycelium! They exist in entirely different domains of life. Although I have found links between them on an aesthetic level, it seems that is a biological context they are different in every respect, right down to the DNA of the cells. I look forward to learning more about this from Redfern in our future conversations and unravelling exactly how the two fit (or don’t) into this project.

The next step is to meet Redfern in person to discuss some of this in more depth. I aim to get an understanding of what might be possible within the parameters of my project.

Photo shows some of Redfern’s plates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Reference:

Redfern, J. (2016) Email correspondence from December 6, 2016 – ongoing. Subject: SciArt and Mould