Dixie State University’s professor, Dr. Rico Del Sesto, has been an active, elite researcher on and off campus. Dr. Del Sesto has been actively involved in the design and synthesis of new materials to defeat pathogenic bacteria.
Recently involved in research about controlling MRSA, a skin infection that starts off as a painful, swollen bump that looks like a bloated spider bite or a pimple gone wrong, Dr. Del Sesto has played a major role in the extensive research process.
“With collaborators at Northern Arizona University and UC Santa Barbara, we were able to demonstrate efficacy towards MRSA, and a number of other pathogenic bacteria viruses, and fungi,” Dr. Del Sesto said. “Most recently our collaborators have shown that these materials are also effective against COVID-19 on infected surfaces.”
After much research, collaborators have been able to discover CAGE, a variation of something called choline capable of penetrating the deepest skin layers to deliver antibiotics.
“There have been a number of DSU students involved in the project over the last few years,” Dr. Del Sesto said. “All chemistry and biochemistry majors complete a research experience as part of their degree, and this project is one example of many within our department that students can engage in to build their research skills and contribute knowledge and data to the cutting edge of the chemistry world.”
The ultimate “active learning. active life”. academic experience is something that DSU provides their students because of the incredible, elite researchers that are on campus.
“Being a chemistry major, I required help from some of the biology professors and researchers,” Riley Hensley, student assisting in CAGE research said. “I would say active learning is a very good description of doing this research.”
DSU professors and students have been collaborating to continue research methods and provide students with the best hands-on experience as possible.
“I think that the time spent having these innovative and creative brainstorming sessions with students is some of the most impactful and meaningful for both the students and the faculty,” Dr. Del Sesto said.