Antibiotic Resistant Pathogen Outbreak Investigation: An Interdisciplinary Module to Teach Fundamentals of Evolutionary Biology

The evolution of resistance to antibiotics provides a timely and relevant topic for teaching undergraduate students evolutionary biology. Here, we present a module incorporating modified sequencing data from eight antibiotic resistant pathogen outbreaks in hospital settings with bioinformatics and phylogenetic analyses. This module uses whole genome sequencing data from hospital outbreaks investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide examples of antibiotic resistance spread. Students work in groups to analyze outbreak data to identify the bacterial species and antibiotic resistance genes, to infer a phylogenetic tree examining relatedness among isolates, and to determine a possible source of the outbreak. Students then compile their results in individual reports and provide recommendations for preventing the further spread of antibiotic resistant organisms. In addition to providing genomic outbreak data, we include a teaching concepts guide discussing three integral components of the module: how evolutionary biology concepts of natural selection and competition impact antibiotic resistance; outbreak investigation information to aid in phylogenetic analysis and creation of recommendations; and instructions for the bioinformatics protocol. Completion of this module provides students an opportunity to think critically about the evolution of resistance, practice bioinformatics techniques, and relate evolutionary biology to current events.