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Caroline Heafield '26, a Millyard Scholar and Life Sciences student at ӣ������ Manchester, is turning classroom curiosity into innovative research. Her journey began in Dr. Sue Cooke’s Antibiotic Discovery course, a hands-on class offered in partnership with , an organization dedicated to identifying novel antibiotics from environmental bacteria.

“In the class, we collect soil, isolate bacteria, and test them against species closely related to antibiotic-resistant strains to see if they produce any antibiotics,” Caroline explains. “We then isolate compounds that the bacteria make.”

That experience sparked Caroline’s interest in natural product discovery and set her on a path of research that spans multiple programs and institutions.

Expanding Horizons Through Research

After completing the course, Caroline participated in the program at Dartmouth, where she worked in a biomedical research lab studying how excess lipids and oxygen in the gut of people with cystic fibrosis may contribute to the overgrowth of yeast pathogens.

“Between the excitement of the research I was doing and the inviting environment of the lab I worked in, I was very excited to come in and work every day,” Caroline says. “I learned how to balance research expectations and time management when it’s not regulated in a class, which is an important skill for anyone interested in research.”

This experience also gave Caroline her first taste of presenting at a conference and strengthened her ability to think independently and interpret results, skills she says are “such an important part of being a researcher.”

Innovating with Independent Research

Inspired by her summer work with fungi, Caroline approached Dr. Cooke in the fall with an idea: combine her interests in antibiotic discovery and fungal biology. “She wanted to look at antibiotic properties of fungi, which I thought was really interesting,” says Dr. Cooke.

Caroline began an independent research project while also serving as a Learning Assistant for the Antibiotic Discovery course. “Being a TA helped me prepare experiments for my own research and gave me insight into what worked and what didn’t,” Caroline notes.

Her dedication paid off — Caroline recently received an from the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research for her J-term project, “Identification of Fungal Secondary Metabolites for Novel Antibiotic Development.”

“The URA means a lot to me because it was a project I designed,” Caroline says. 

“To my knowledge, nobody else within the Tiny Earth program has looked into fungi instead of bacteria, so I’m doing novel research. The fact that I can have this experience as an undergraduate is incredible.”

Caroline plans to graduate in spring 2026 and pursue a graduate program focused on microbiology and human-microbe interactions.

“At ӣ������ Manchester, I really love the lab experiences I’ve had,” she says. “The faculty clearly care about their students, and I’ve been able to grow academically under their leadership.”

Explore Opportunities Like Caroline’s at ӣ������ Manchester

Caroline’s story shows what’s possible when curiosity meets opportunity. At ӣ������ Manchester, programs like the Millyard Scholars Program and Life Sciences offer students hands-on learning and research experiences that prepare them for impactful careers. Want to see what it’s like to be a Millyard Scholar? Watch Caroline’s story and learn how ӣ������ Manchester can help you turn your passion into impact.