Phagehunting Phages are everywhere but scientists have only succeeded in identifying a tiny fraction of these potentially very useful micro-organisms. Capturing and isolating these structures from ordinary dirt is both a scientifically valuable experience possible for middle school students and a gateway to learning about DNA. Once the phages have been isolated the students will send the data to the DNA labs at the University of Pittsburgh where they will be sequenced to determine if the phage that was found is a newly discovered one. If that is the case, then the students who collected the sample will be allowed to name the phage. Twenty students from Durham, NC, Albuquerque, NM, Cincinnati, OH, and Rochester, NY, will participate in this residential experience at Duke University from July 16-22, 2006. Much like space camps or the Human Genome Project, students will be connected to a larger collaboration. The program at Duke will be based on the phagehunting model developed by Professor Graham Hatfull at the University of Pittsburgh. Funding for the summer program as well as the Phagehunting program in Pittsburgh is being provided by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. There is no cost for the students and accompanying teachers/mentors to participate in the program. Travel to and from Durham is also provided. Students will be selected by the program directors and teaching staff of their respective local programs based on the excellence of their participation and their potential to benefit from the Duke experience. All selected students and their parents and mentors will be required to sign a contract indicating that they will complete the entire program including the follow-up year, the science fair preparation and participation, and the summer 2007 workshop.