She has always been attracted to science and understanding how things work. Foster focuses her research on how bacteria obtain essential nutrients while infecting a mammalian host. Specifically, she explores how microorganisms compete with their host for the mineral iron. The results of her research have been published in recent issues of Gene , the Journal of Bacteriology , and Infection and Immunity . By adding lab-grade yeast to commercial grape juice, they discover how bacteria convert sugar in the grape juice to ethanol.
Students then perform calculations to see how quickly the sugar is metabolized.
Students in Foster's classes also learn about the negative consequences of bacteria's interaction with humanity. Lisa is a confident classroom teacher who sets high, but reasonable, standards for her students. Some are therefore asked to rise above their own expectations, and many have done so. Lisa takes great care and offers much attention to her research students. I know from conversations with each of the six seniors she has mentored that the research in her lab was a singular experience for them at Trinity.