GSSM Students Join Global Antibiotic Resistance Research Led by Tufts University

Photo: GSSM students participating in the PARE project stand outside the Center Lobby on campus. From left: Sarah Cate Henderson, Rachel Graham, Khushi Udani, Parveen Adem, Preston Coplen and Julia Yang. 

HARTSVILLE, S.C. (May 20, 2025) ─ A team of students from the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) was accepted to join the Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment (PARE) project, a global research initiative led by Tufts University that engages students in the scientific fight against one of the world’s most pressing public health threats.

GSSM’s Soil Microbiota Research Group includes Preston Coplen (Lexington), Julia Yang (York), Sarah Cate Henderson (Hartsville), Rachel Graham (Lancaster), Khushi Udani (Lexington) and Parveen Adem (Mount Pleasant). The group is working under the mentorship of Dr. Valeria Avanzato, biology instructor at GSSM. It is the first high school team in South Carolina to participate in the program.

Launched in 2014, the PARE project enlists students to identify and analyze the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in soil and water samples. More than 200 institutions worldwide have contributed to the initiative, which plays a critical role in advancing scientific understanding of the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance.  

“What’s most exciting about the PARE project is that it turns students into real scientists,” Avanzato said. “They experience the full arc of research—from unexpected results and troubleshooting to genuine moments of discovery. It builds resilience and critical thinking. Even when things don’t go as planned, they learn not to quit. That’s where the real growth happens.”

Senior Rachel Graham, Class of 2025, described the experience as both academically challenging and personally meaningful.

“Research in Soil Microbiota with Dr. Avanzato has been my favorite class this semester, and one of the best I’ve taken at GSSM,” Graham said. “The PARE project allowed me to contribute to raising awareness and addressing antibiotic resistance. I now have a very in-depth understanding of conducting research like this with PCR and gel electrophoresis, along with soil cultures. I’m proud of my team. We’re the first high school in South Carolina to add a dot on the map on the PARE website through our research and results.”

Participation in the PARE project reflects GSSM’s commitment to giving students authentic, real-world STEM experiences that deepen their technical knowledge and position them as contributors to globally relevant research.

For more information about the PARE project, visit https://sites.tufts.edu/ctse/pare/. For more information about GSSM’s student research, visit www.scgssm.org.