John K. Crane, MD, PhD, left, and medical student Tammy Yang co-authored a paper published in Scientific Reports that was based on research conducted by Yang during the summer after her first year of medical school.
Medical Student Co-Authors Paper in Scientific Reports
By Dirk Hoffman
Published May 19, 2025
A lot of medical students at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences conduct research during the summer after their first year of medical school, but not many get to be co-authors of an article in a peer-reviewed journal as a result.
But that is exactly what transpired for Tammy Yang, a second-year medical student, who worked in the laboratory of John K. Crane, MD, PhD, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, during the summer of 2024.
The resulting paper, titled “Rapid Assembly of Biofilms From DNA Released By SOS-Inducing Drugs in Enteric Bacteria,” was published April 13 in the journal Scientific Reports.
One of the goals of the project was to determine the mechanism(s) by which DNA is released from the bacterial cell in response to SOS-inducing drugs. Its findings may have relevance in reducing the emergence of resistance to new antimicrobial drugs.
Better Understanding of SOS Response Focus of Study
The term “SOS” comes from the universal distress call used by mariners and aviators, and the term “SOS response” was coined by Miroslav Radman, PhD, a Croatian geneticist and molecular biologist, in 1975.
“The SOS response is a bacterial stress response activated by DNA damage in many types of bacteria,” Crane says. “As bacteria attempts to repair their DNA, errors can be introduced in the form of mutations. Sometimes the mutations result in increased resistance to antibiotics.”
Crane says the SOS response continues to attract research attention because of its ability to trigger emergence of resistance to antibiotics — noting his lab’s previous work showed that SOS-inducers triggered prominent bacterial aggregation, with the bacterial aggregates often surrounded by extracellular DNA.
“The current article expands this by showing that the SOS response triggers release of DNA from the bacteria and this DNA greatly accelerates the formation of biofilms,” he says.
“Biofilms are difficult to eradicate with antibiotics or antiseptics. Biofilms often form in infections of implanted medical devices, such as central venous catheters, urinary catheters, prosthetic joint hardware, and cardiac devices such as pacemakers,” he adds.
‘Every Experiment Offers Opportunity to Learn’
Crane says that Yang performed most of the experiments in the study, including “those that were the most difficult and grueling.”
Yang says that she gained a deeper appreciation for the research process during her work on the study.
“One of the main takeaways from the research project was the understanding that every experiment, regardless of whether it confirmed our hypothesis, offered an opportunity to learn,” she says. “Even unexpected or negative results helped us refine our questions and build on the existing body of knowledge.”
Yang says working in the lab with Crane was an especially meaningful part of the experience.
“His genuine love for learning and deep curiosity set the tone for our work,” she says. “He brought enthusiasm to every discussion and was always eager to explore new ideas and build upon the discoveries of others. Both I, and the students before me, deeply appreciated his mentorship and passion.”
“Being a co-author on a peer-reviewed journal is an honor. It’s incredibly rewarding to contribute and share our work with the scientific community.”