Gregory captured the image on Montana Tech’s Hitachi Scanning Electron Microscope. The photo shows Chlorella NC64A engulfed in iron-doped apatite nanoparticles on scanning electron microscopy. Iron-doped apatite nanoparticles increase infection of Staphylococcus aureus by bacteriophage. Current research examines this phenomena in eukaryotic systems, namely, in that of Chlorella NC64A and its virus Paramecium Bursaria Chlorella Virus 1 (PBCV-1).
Gregory submitted the photo to the American Society for Microbiology 2015 Poster Presenter Photo Contest. Her poster was titled, Iron-Doped Apatite Nanoparticle Enhancement of Viral Infection Examined in Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Systems. For winning, Gregory receives a free registration to ASM Microbe 2016 held June 16-20, 2016 in Boston, MA and a single title online journal subscription.