$1.77M NIH grant inspires passion in PFW students, assistant professor

Lisa McLellan, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Purdue University Fort Wayne, recently received a $1.77 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. McLellan and Robert Shields, an assistant professor at Arkansas State University, are starting a five-year study of how bacteria cells in the human mouth exchange DNA and evolve. On average, the mouth has 20 billion bacteria representing 650 species. Some of these bacteria, which McLellan studies, cause dental cavities and diseases.

It’s a critical issue as about 90% of adults in the U.S. have had at least one cavity sometime in their lives, including 25% currently, costing $136 billion annually. Further, every 15 seconds, someone visits an emergency room because of a dental condition.

“We can examine oral bacteria and their DNA and how that DNA is transferred from one bacterial cell to another,” McLellan said. “Bacteria are constantly adapting to conditions in your mouth and potentially causing diseases. By understanding these processes, we can understand how these bacteria are evolving and think about ways we can better treat these bacteria. It’s an important medical question.”

It’s exciting news and a fascinating research project. McLellan is certainly energized about the work, but she’s just as excited about how the grant will help launch some of her students into their own careers through experiences in her lab. It’s not a platitude, or stereotype, but an honest passion for McLellan, who sees this opportunity as a chance to help her students to expand their abilities.

“What really gets me out of bed in the morning is working with the fantastic students we have at PFW,” McLellan said. “You can develop close and meaningful relationships, and that’s what I really love. I get to know these students on a deep level and hear their aspirations, and what drove them to become a biology major and get involved in research.”

Her research is and will have real-world impact, which she loves, McLellan said, but her students are a ripple effect of that. They will become doctors, teachers, dentists, and researchers, who will amplify and spread what she’s teaching, just as her teachers inspired her.

And McLellan’s students who are part of this research team—one graduate and eight undergrads working in her lab—have bought into what she teaches. After working with her, lab members receive handmade T-shirts with the script “McLellan Lab,” an acknowledgement that they’ve become a “McLellan-ite.” It’s part of how McLellan tries to make working in her lab fun and challenging.

“That name might seem cheesy to anyone else, but to us, it symbolizes her genuine care and dedication,” said junior Perla Figueroa. “In the lab, she is the best mentor anyone could ask for. She knows the perfect balance between allowing us to think independently and providing direction to ensure we’re on the right track. Even when mistakes happen, she corrects with kindness, making her lab a safe space to learn and grow. I really appreciate that she creates an environment where making mistakes is acceptable, as long as we learn from them.”

It’s one way McLellan builds confidence in her charges, and a reason why she is known for her caring and kind nature toward all students.

“She took a chance on me, a new sophomore with no research experience and little interest in science, and turned me into a student who is no longer worried about venturing out and trying something new, even though it may not go as planned,” junior Quinn Barabas said. “She has instilled confidence in me, and all of us `McLellan-ites’ know she always has the lab's best interests in mind during any decision she makes.”

The commitment is evident in every decision McLellan makes as she guides her lab and her students.

“One thing that has really driven me throughout my career is servant leadership,” McLellan said. “Being alongside the students, getting our hands dirty, and making those connections is really fun—and I try to make that an emphasis in my lab. It’s really their passion that helps inspire my passion.”