The soil under our feet is teeming with life, including beneficial microscopic fungi. The University of Oklahoma’s Natural Products Discovery Group (NPDG) invites learners be a part of cutting-edge research to help discover new medicines sourced from soil fungi. The NPDG launched the citizen science soil collection program in 2010, and since then, thousands of participants have contributed soil samples in support of this interdisciplinary research.

The project known as “What’s in Your Backyard?” collects soil samples sent from citizen scientists throughout the United States. Biologists and chemists work collaboratively to culture samples and look for new compounds. The discovery of new compounds from soil microbes can lead to new drugs, some of which have been effective in treating infections and inhibiting disease, including cancers. Medicines derived from naturally occurring fungal sources also include antibiotics, immunosuppressants, and cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Most of Earth’s soil fungi have not yet been explored for their medicinal and therapeutic potential. The “What’s in Your Backyard?” citizen science project does a phenomenal job of (1) accelerating scientific discovery through citizen science, (2) highlighting modern science collaboration across disciplines, and (3) disseminating results to participants (See Figure 1).

Project goal: To develop new medicinal drugs from soil microorganisms

Your task: Scoop a soil sample that will be analyzed in a lab

Science discipline: Life Science

Once you receive the soil sampling kit from the project’s website, you will be ready to go outside and collect your soil sample! The kit’s materials are user-friendly and the project’s procedures are clear and easy to follow. The helpful instructions guide you through the process, from choosing a sampling site to returning the sample to the lab for analysis (See “Project Home” and “FAQs”).

Once you locate a collection area that is not wet and has minimal disturbances (such as under a tree), you’ll remove grass and leaves from the sample area and scoop soil from the top one to three inches of the soil layer. (The scoop provided in the kit serves as a mini-shovel to collect the sample.) You’ll deposit the sample into the sealable bag provided in the kit. A visible line serves to provide an indicator of soil amount needed for one sample. Carefully complete the information card provided with the kit. Return postage is part of the kit and is prepaid by the project. For students under 18 years of age who are collecting and submitting their own soil samples, there is a place on the form for a parent/guardian signature.

• Soil collection kit (See “Group Participation Form” for classroom kit requests)

The project’s website provides abundant resources for educators including a curriculum guide, links to research articles, videos, and more. The project does an exemplary job in sharing the results of your sample’s analysis, and you can also explore the project database to view results from other submitted samples. One sample from a citizen scientist in Alaska resulted in the discovery of a new species of fungus! That fungus (Tolypocladium sp.) produced the compound maximiscin, which has been shown to inhibit cell growth in skin and breast cancers.

Students may also be interested in learning about historical drug discovery, such as Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin. After learning about historical cases such as this, students will enjoy engaging in this citizen science project where they play a role in twenty-first century drug discovery!

When: Anytime.

How: Request a free soil sampling kit from the University of Oklahoma citizen science project website; follow the instructions on the kit to collect the sample; seal the kit’s bag and return your soil sample back to the university with the pre-paid postage form provided in the kit.

Where: United States

Time needed: Collection of the sample takes under 10 minutes.

Special equipment needed: Soil collection kit (See “Project Home”)

Cost: No cost to participate, and the soil sampling kit is free.

Contact for more information: npdg@ou.edu

Safety: As with any science lab, classroom, or field activity, always ensure that you are following recommended safety practices; for more information on safety in the science classroom visit www.nsta.org/safety.

Helpful Project Links:

Project home: https://whatsinyourbackyard.org/

Curriculum Guide: https://bit.ly/3hqdUac

Education Page: https://whatsinyourbackyard.org/educate/

Group Participation Form: https://ousurvey.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_85NC0BvUVRB3A1L

Homeschool Page: https://whatsinyourbackyard.org/homeschool/

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page: https://whatsinyourbackyard.org/faq/

Soil Samples’ Results Database: https://shareok.org/handle/11244/28096

Project Overview Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQmu-sLLpF0&feature=youtu.be

Project Soil Kit Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntO2pAuat5k

Project link on SciStarter: https://scistarter.org/drug-discovery-from-your-soil

University of Oklahoma’s Natural Products Discovery Group: http://npdg.ou.edu/

Jill Nugent (jillfnugent@gmail.com) teaches science online, engages educators in citizen science experiences for the classroom, schoolyard, and beyond, and serves on the SciStarter Team. Follow SciStarter on Twitter: @SciStarter.