Undergraduate research, real-world impact

As an undergraduate in the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM), Ashley DeSilva contributed to research that ranged from protecting future space missions from microbial contamination to developing vaccines for diseases that cost the aquaculture industry millions of dollars each year.

By the time she graduated in May 2025, DeSilva had co-authored two peer-reviewed scientific publications, with additional manuscripts in progress, a level of research involvement rarely seen at the undergraduate level. In recognition of her work, she received the college’s 2025 Undergraduate Dean’s Research Award.

“I didn’t really know what to expect from research,” DeSilva said. “I just joined a lab and saw what happened, and luckily I ended up loving it.”

DeSilva conducted her undergraduate research in the laboratory of Mark Liles, professor of microbiology and COSAM’s associate dean for research and graduate studies, where she became involved in major projects early in her academic career and remained engaged through graduation. One of her first research experiences was a NASA-supported study focused on planetary protection, a field aimed at preventing microbial contamination during space exploration.

“I never expected my microbiology work to connect to NASA,” DeSilva said. “But the project drew me in right away.”

The work examined how resilient bacterial spores interact with materials used in spacecraft assemblies and explored ways to reduce the risk of transporting Earth-based microbes into space or returning unknown organisms back to Earth. Through the project, DeSilva gained hands-on experience working alongside graduate students and contributed to research that resulted in her first peer-reviewed publication.

After that project concluded, DeSilva transitioned to a second major research effort in the same lab, shifting her focus from spaceflight materials to vaccine development in aquaculture. Under the guidance of doctoral candidate Emily Churchman, who is co-advised by Dr. Miles Lange of the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit, she worked on developing a recombinant Flavobacterium covae protein vaccine to protect catfish from columnaris disease, a bacterial infection responsible for significant economic losses in the industry.

While the project involved complex immunological questions, DeSilva said the most valuable takeaway was learning how research unfolds in practice, especially when results do not align with expectations.

Catfish immunized with two different recombinant protein vaccines at the same time did not fare as well as the single protein vaccines groups.

“You would think with double the antibodies, it should be more protective,” she said. “It ended up actually being half as protective.”

The unexpected result became the basis of DeSilva’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship project and introduced her to hypothesis testing, troubleshooting and the reality that not all research questions resolve neatly.

“For a one-year research project, you don’t really have enough time to do everything,” she said. “That’s part of the process.”

That perspective shaped how DeSilva approached her undergraduate years at Auburn, where research became central to her academic direction.

A Chicago native, DeSilva entered Auburn as a microbiology student, unsure of where her study may take her. However, early exposure to research helped clarify her academic direction. As a first-generation college student, she said access to research opportunities and mentorship played a critical role in her experience. She credits Liles with creating an environment where undergraduates were encouraged to engage meaningfully with research.

“He was a huge, huge mentor,” she said. “I do not know how I would have done all this without him.”

Outside the lab, DeSilva balanced coursework, campus employment and student life while maintaining consistent involvement in research. By graduation, she had built a strong foundation for graduate study.

After graduating, DeSilva continued building her research experience as a laboratory technician, first at Auburn and currently continuing work with Lange at the USDA-ARS, Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit, where she works on applied research projects while preparing to reapply to PhD programs.

Looking back, DeSilva said she did not anticipate how central research would become to her undergraduate experience.

“Opportunities kept coming my way,” she said. “I focused on the ones that felt right.”

For DeSilva, research was not something she needed to have figured out in advance. It was something Auburn helped her grow into.