Microbiologist Dr. Naowarat (Ann) Cheeptham was interviewed by CBC Radio’s Daybreak South on September 24, about her research into microbes that could kill antibiotic-resistant superbugs known as MRSAs.

Asked, why caves, Cheeptham said, “The very extreme physical factors that caves present as a home to microorganisms actually make them very unique”.

Listen to the full September 24 CBC Radio interview.

Cheeptham’s investigation of previously unidentified microorganisms collected from some of Canada’s most extreme cave environments—microbes that could be capable of producing compounds for use as new, more powerful antibiotics—is also featured as part of the season opener of Global TV’s program, 16×9. The associate professor of Biological Sciences at TRU was interviewed about her drug discovery research as part of a story on cave explorer Nick Vieira, who has been working with Cheeptham to collect samples of microorganisms from some very inhospitable, hard-to-reach cave environments.

Watch the 16×9 season premiere at 7pm on Global TV, Saturday, September 28 and a series of features on making the ice caves episode on Global News online.

Update: view the full story, Mapping the Underworld on Global News.

One of Cheeptham’s microbiology students has also been in the media recently, as part of a research project in caves in Glacier National Park. Baylee Out collected fungus samples in the Nakimu cave system, hoping to find that the caves are free of a deadly fungus called White Nose Syndrome which affects hibernating bats. The fungus cultures have been brought back to Cheeptham’s lab at TRU to be tested for the fungus. Read about the project in the Vancouver Sun, the Province, and the Revelstoke Times Review. Out was also interviewed by CBC Radio One on August 8.