Matthew Sroka, a senior biology major, was awarded an A.J. Palumbo Student Research Grant to fund his senior research project. His research is entitled, “Dental Biofilm Formation in Different Food and Beverage Solutions.”  He had the following to say about his research:
 
“This project focused on the study of dental biofilms, commonly known as oral plaque, which is predominantly composed of different bacterial species of Streptococcus.  In particular, my research focused on the isolation of the most dominant species of Streptococcus and how their growth is affected by the presence of different energy sources.  In addition, the research also examined the interactions between the different Streptococcus species and how each one's growth is affected by its interactions with the other species.  I plan on furthering my education in dental school upon graduation.”