Inspiring the next generation: exploring the invisible microbial world with students in Koothanoor, India

by Dr Revathy Krishnamurthi

“My road to science was nothing short of a roller coaster. I completed my PhD at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in India. My scientific pursuit to understand the most abundant entity on earth called bacteriophages – a virus that kills bacteria – began in UK at the University of Liverpool in 2020. Now at the Quadram Institute, I am investigating how the infant gut virome is formed and shaped.

This August, I returned to Government Higher Secondary School in Koothanoor, Tamil Nadu, India, the village where I was born, for a science outreach event as part of the Invincible Invisibles project. This was supported by Mr. Uloganathan Paramasivam, my partner, from the design to the delivery of the event. Invincible Invisibles is a public engagement project I started during my time at the University of Liverpool, to inspire young people about the world of mighty and valiant microbes.

The visit was a deeply meaningful experience sharing the excitement of microbiome science with the next generation in the very place where my own curiosity began.

Sparking interest in the gut microbiome

With funding support from the Centre for Microbial Interactions, we introduced students to the gut microbiome as a collective group of microbes including bacteriophages, bacteria, fungi and protozoa. We discussed how beneficial microbes support not just digestion, but also define our mood, memory, and learning.

We discussed that our bodies are home to trillions of microbes and that the “good” bacteria in our gut can be nurtured by eating fibre-rich foods. I shared examples of fibre-rich foods from their own diet including greens, fruits, banana stem, millets, and pulses along to be eaten alongside with protein-rich foods diet and carbs.

Many students shared that they plan to choose healthier food after the session, something that resonates deeply with our mission at the Quadram Institute. I’m grateful to have helped plant this important idea in young minds.

Using paper microscopes to see microbes in yoghurt

The most exciting part of my visit to the school was when students used paper microscopes, called foldscopes, to observe bacteria called lactobacilli in yogurt. In short, Lactobacilli help in breaking the milk sugar lactose into lactic acid, which thickens the milk and gives yogurt its tangy taste.

For many students, it was their first time seeing a microbe and their reactions were priceless. It reminded me how powerful real-world experiences are, far beyond what can be learned through books alone.

What moved me most was their curiosity beyond the classroom. They wanted to collect moss from damp walls, samples from fermented foods, and even soil to observe microbes from their own surroundings. Many asked if I could return next year to explore the microbial environment with them.

Their eagerness to explore the microbial world around them was truly inspiring.

Building interest in bacteriophages and beyond

As part of my visit, we also discussed bacteriophages, which is my favourite part of the microbiome. In fact, the students immediately connected phages to the therapeutic potential of treating antibiotic-resistant bugs. This moment awed me the most.

Overall, the visit to the village where I grew up reminded me that science engagement is most powerful when it’s personal, local, and hands-on. These students are ready – not just to learn, but to discover. And I hope that this is just the beginning of many such journeys into the invisible, invincible world of microbes for them and that some of them emerge as a great microbiologists.”

—

This blog was written and edited by Revathy Krishnamurthi (QIB) and Ruby O’Grady (QIB).