Dr. Cabeen's Lab

We use advanced microfluidics and live-cell microscopy together with traditional microbiological techniques to learn how bacteria sense and respond to stress, communicate with one another, and work together to build microbial communities. We work with both the model species Bacillus subtilis and the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

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We are the Cabeen Lab

Welcome to the Cabeen Lab at Oklahoma State University! We try to think big ideas about tiny little bacteria.

 

Because bacterial cells are so small, they often have to team up in communities to build colonies and cause infections. We study how they do that. They have to find the right foods and compete with other bacteria. We study how they do that. Bacteria also have to deal with stress in their environment, just like the rest of us. We study how they sense and respond to stress to survive in a harsh world. We are interested not only in the basic biology of bacteria but also how we can use what we learn to fight bacterial infections in human patients.

 

In the Cowboy spirit, we are committed to maintaining a stimulating, instructive, and fun lab environment characterized by teamwork and involvement in every aspect of the scientific process. We work hard and are proud of our large and active group of scholars. 

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Resources

In the August 2021 issue of The American Biology Teacher, we published an "Inquiry and Investigation" article titled "Using Fluorescence in Biotechnology Instruction to Visualize Antibiotic Resistance & DNA". That article references this website to find a more-detailed protocol for a hands-on demonstration of antibiotic selection in a laboratory setting.

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Teaching

Dr. Cabeen teaches two courses here at OSU. In the Fall, he teaches MICR 4423 (also cross-listed as a graduate course, MICR 5423): Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance. In the Spring, he teaches MICR 2123, Introduction to Microbiology, and an Honors add-on to that course, MICR 2890. Both courses also have online sections with professional-quality lecture videos.

 

Dr. Cabeen believes strongly in clear, logical, enthusiastic instruction. For all of his courses, he publishes lists of learning objectives that the course is designed to meet. Exams are designed to assess whether students have met the learning objectives. Review sessions before exams review and summarize the learning objectives. His teaching skill has been recognized with awards, including the 2022 Distinguished Teaching Award from the College of Arts and Sciences.

 

Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance is a popular course that has grown every year since its introduction, from about 30 students in 2018 to over 130 students in 2022. We talk about the fascinating history of antibiotic discovery, and how antibiotics changed medicine forever. We discuss the structures of different classes of antibiotics, how they function, and how bacteria have learned to fight back. We talk about challenges to developing new antibiotics, alternatives to antibiotics, and antibiotic-discovery strategies for the future. Here is the course objective and philosophy:

 

I have designed this course to teach you about how antibiotics were first discovered and developed; what kinds of antibiotics exist and how they work; how bacteria resist the action of antibiotics; how antibiotics are used today; and what challenges face the use and future development of antibiotics. I aim to teach a course that appeals to anyone interested in science, microbiology, chemistry, or medicine, as antibiotics really have changed the course of human history and have revolutionized medicine and agriculture. I also want this course to be challenging but fun, with clear learning objectives. The course will be at its best when I do my part as a conscientious professor and you do your part as a diligent student; I will work hard to hold up my end of the bargain by trying to deliver interesting lectures and by reviewing important information in class.

 

What do students say about this class and the instructor?

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Introduction to Microbiology

Introduction to Microbiology is a popular course for freshman and sophomores. Dr. Cabeen is one of four instructors for this course; Drs. Youssef and Marley teach MICR 2123 sections in the Fall, and Dr. Beckmann teaches a section in the Spring. We cover similar material but each in our own style. Dr. Cabeen offers an online section of Introduction to Microbiology that includes professional-quality studio-recorded lectures. This course covers basic biology from a microbiology perspective. Here is the course objective and philosophy:

 

This fundamental course is designed to teach you biology in the context of microbes (primarily bacteria). We will study the history of microbiology and the techniques used to conduct experiments with microbes; microbial cell structure and function; how bacteria function at the molecular level (molecular biology and molecular genetics); how bacteria obtain and use nutrients; the variety of microbes in the world; the bacteria that dwell in and on us; and how bacteria can make us sick and how our bodies fight back. I aim to teach a course that appeals to students who are interested in biology, especially at the molecular level. I want this course to be highly informative, covering a variety of topics, and also fun, with clear learning objectives. The course will be at its best when I do my part as a conscientious professor and you do your part as a diligent student; I will work hard to hold up my end of the bargain by trying to deliver interesting lectures and by reviewing important information in class.

 

 

What do students say about this class and the instructor?

 

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