The other half are Pseudomonas strains that Wildschutte uses for his research on the discovery of new antibiotics. Of the approximately 800 environmental strains Wildschutte’s students have collected and tested since 2015, roughly half are Bacillus. Their traits of dormancy and resistance make them ideal for manufacturing en masse and delivery into numerous commercial applications. The Bacillus strains EnviroZyme researchers use have the unique ability to morph into hardy and resistant spores when environmental conditions prove less than optimal. “When I shared with Betco what our students do in class, they were very interested in learning more and developing a mutually beneficial partnership.”

“There are so many benefits to students conducting authentic research and seeing the real impact they can make as scientists,” Wildschutte said. In the meeting, Wildschutte explained the experiential learning format of his 3000-level biology course and how students conduct research, piquing Betco’s interest and prompting further discussions.Īs a part of the class - formatted as a course-based undergraduate research experience - BGSU students isolate environmental bacterial strains, including Bacillus, from soil and water samples as part of an ongoing research project. Hans Wildschutte in their search for effective bacterial strains from the Bacillus genus category for the company’s eco-friendly microbial cleaning products.ĮnviroZyme provides bacteria-based treatment solutions for a variety of environmental, water and waste treatment applications. Researchers at Betco Corporation, a commercial cleaning and equipment manufacturer, and its fully-owned subsidiary EnviroZyme initiated a meeting with BGSU associate biology professor Dr. A microbiology class at Bowling Green State University promoting undergraduate student research became the catalyst for a burgeoning partnership between the University and a global company with its headquarters located a few miles from campus.

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