MESA, Arizona – Sept. 18, 2026 – Mesa Community College (MCC) received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Innovation in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC) program. Totaling $164,125, the grant will fund a project titled “From Soil to Sequence: Transforming Microbiology Education Through Course-Based Research Experiences.”
The project replaces traditional “cookbook” laboratory exercises with authentic research by integrating the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) curriculum. Students isolate, characterize and sequence previously unknown bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) from local soil samples, submitting novel genomic data directly to GenBank, the National Library of Medicine’s global genetic repository.
“This project gives our students the opportunity to move beyond learning about scientific discoveries to becoming part of them,” said Graham Boorse, Ph.D., MCC Life and Environmental Sciences faculty. “By participating in authentic research that contributes to the scientific community, students gain laboratory experience, strengthen their critical thinking skills and build confidence as future scientists and healthcare professionals.”
MCC will integrate the research experience directly into required microbiology courses, ensuring that every student enrolled in participating classes has access to meaningful research. An independent external evaluator will assess student outcomes and institutional strategies to help other community colleges replicate and scale similar programs.
The project will be implemented in phases beginning with a pilot laboratory section before expanding across all microbiology laboratory sections at MCC’s Red Mountain Campus by 2028.
MCC also aims to sustain the program beyond the grant period, ensuring long-term opportunities for future students.
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Media Contact: Dawn Zimmer, [email protected], 480-461-7892
Mesa Community College (MCC) is nationally recognized for its excellence in university transfer, career and technical programs, civic engagement, and innovative education. Serving more than 23,000 students annually, MCC offers a range of degree and certificate programs across its two campuses and additional locations. MCC students contribute more than 5,677 hours of community service annually. MCC serves as a key resource for education, workforce development, and lifelong learning. The college enhances student success through Guided Pathways with Integrated Support Services. A Hispanic Serving Institution, nearly 50% of MCC students are first-generation college attendees, and it boasts the largest Indigenous student population among Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) colleges, supporting students from 22 Arizona tribes and additional out-of-state tribes. Our award-winning faculty are committed to helping students achieve their goals through high-quality education, training and undergraduate research opportunities. Located in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, MCC is one of 10 MCCCD colleges. Learn more at mesacc.edu/newsroom.
MCC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org.
The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. MCCCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, visit www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination.