Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons^™

Exploring The Role And Impact Of Microscale Phenomena On Electrode, Microdevice, And Cellular Function, Sanaz Habibi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Microfluidic technologies enable the development of portable devices to perform multiple high-resolution unit operations with small sample and reagent volumes, low fabrication cost, facile operation, and quick response times. Microfluidic platforms are expected to effectively interpret both wanted and unwanted phenomena; however, a comprehensive evaluation of the unwanted phenomena has not been appropriately investigated in the literature. This work explored an attenuative evaluation of unwanted phenomena, also called here as secondary phenomena, in a unique approach.

Upon electric field utilization within microfluidic devices, electrode miniaturization improves device sensitivity. However, electrodes in contact with medium solution can yield byproducts that can …

Intensification Of Gas Absorption In A Downward Flow Microbubble Bioreactor, Manizheh Ansari

Dissertations and Theses

Bioreactors are of interest for value-upgrading of stranded or waste industrial gases, such as CO, CH₄, or syngas. Process economics requires reduction of reactor cost and size while maintaining high production rate via rapid delivery of gas feedstock to the liquid phase which in turn requires a high volumetric mass transfer rate (). One strategy to achieve this goal is to increase interfacial area density, a, to >3000 m² m^-3, while minimizing use of energy. Here we show a novel reactor column design that uses a micro-jet array to break feedstock at ambient pressure …

Cell Surface Coatings For Mammalian Cell-Based Therapeutic Delivery, Pei-Jung Wu

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

The cell plasma membrane is an interactive interface playing an important role in regulating cell-to-cell, cell-to-tissue contact, and cell-to-environment responses. This environment-responsive phospholipid layer consisting of multiple dynamically balanced macromolecules, such as membrane proteins, carbohydrate and lipids, is regarded as a promising platform for various surface engineering strategies. Through different chemical modification routes, we are able to incorporate various artificial materials into the cell surface for biomedical applications in small molecule and cellular therapeutics.

In this dissertation, we establish two different cell coating techniques for applications of cell-mediated drug delivery and the localization of cell-based therapies to specific tissues. The …

Impact Of Conformational Change, Solvation Environment, And Post-Translational Modification On Desulfurization Enzyme 2'-Hydroxybiphenyl-2-Sulfinate Desulfinase (Dszb) Stability And Activity, Landon C. Mills

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Naturally occurring enzymatic pathways enable highly specific, rapid thiophenic sulfur cleavage occurring at ambient temperature and pressure, which may be harnessed for the desulfurization of petroleum-based fuel. One pathway found in bacteria is a four-step catabolic pathway (the 4S pathway) converting dibenzothiophene (DBT), a common crude oil contaminant, into 2-hydroxybiphenyl (HBP) without disrupting the carbon-carbon bonds. 2’-Hydroxybiphenyl-2-sulfinate desulfinase (DszB), the rate-limiting enzyme in the enzyme cascade, is capable of selectively cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds. Accordingly, understanding the molecular mechanisms of DszB activity may enable development of the cascade as industrial biotechnology. Based on crystallographic evidence, we hypothesized that DszB …

Nanoharvesting And Delivery Of Bioactive Materials Using Engineered Silica Nanoparticles, Md Arif Khan

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) possess large surface areas and ample pore space that can be readily modified with specific functional groups for targeted binding of bioactive materials to be transported through cellular barriers. Engineered silica nanoparticles (ESNP) have been used extensively to deliver bio-active materials to target intracellular sites, including as non-viral vectors for nucleic acid (DNA/RNA) delivery such as for siRNA induced interference. The reverse process guided by the same principles is called “nanoharvesting”, where valuable biomolecules are carried out and separated from living and functioning organisms using nano-carriers. This dissertation focuses on ESNP design principles for both applications. …

Exploring Structure-Property Relationships Of Gags To Tailor Ecm-Mimicking Hydrogels, Ralf Zimmermann, Carsten Werner, James Sterling

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are a class of linear polysaccharides that are ubiquitous in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and on cell surfaces. Due to their key role in development, homeostasis, pathogenesis, and regeneration, GAGs are increasingly used in the design of ECM-mimicking hydrogels to stimulate tissue formation and regenerative processes via specifically orchestrated cell-instructive signals. These applications first and foremost build on the ability of GAGs to effectively bind, protect, and release morphogens. The specificity and strength of morphogen-GAG interactions are largely governed by the number and spatial distribution of negatively charged sulfate groups carried by GAGs. Herein, we summarize a mean-field …

Lipid Extraction From Spirulina Sp. And Schizochytrium Sp. Using Supercritical Co2 With Methanol, Shihong Liu, Husam A. Abu Hajar, Guy Riefler, Ben J. Stuart

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Microalgae are one of the most promising feedstocks for biodiesel production due to their high lipid content and easy farming. However, the extraction of lipids from microalgae is energy intensive and costly and involves the use of toxic organic solvents. Compared with organic solvent extraction, supercritical CO₂ (SCCO₂) has demonstrated advantages through lower toxicity and no solvent-liquid separation. Due to the nonpolar nature of SCCO_2, polar organic solvents such as methanol may need to be added as a modifier in order to increase the extraction ability of SCCO₂. In this paper, pilot scale lipid …

Direct Quantification Of Deubiquitinating Enzyme Activity In Single Intact Cells, Nora Safabakhsh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Challenges in drug efficacy occur during the treatment of most types of cancer due to the heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment. This has led to the development of personalized medicine. Due to the clinical success of the proteasome inhibitors Bortezomib and Carfilzomib in treatment of multiple myeloma, interest has shifted towards molecularly-targeted chemotherapeutics for ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are an essential part of this pathway which have been found to promote Bortezomib resistance in multiple myeloma patients. Unfortunately, there is a lack of specific, high throughput biochemical assays to characterize DUB activity in patient samples before and after …

Co2-Eor Mechanisms In Huff-N-Puff Operations In Shale Oil Reservoirs Based On History Matching Results, Dheiaa Alfarge, Mingzhen Wei, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) techniques in Unconventional Liquids Rich Reservoirs (ULR) are still a new concept because there is no commercial project for any IOR technique so far. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) based EOR technique has been effectively applied to improve oil recovery in the tight formations of conventional reservoirs. Extending this approach to unconventional formations has been extensively investigated over the last decade because CO₂ has unique properties which make it the first option of EOR methods to be tried. However, the applications and mechanisms for CO2-EOR in unconventional reservoirs would not necessarily be the same as …

Arrayed Lyser And Homogenizer Systems With Multiple Agitator Devices, Robert W. Doebler, Mark Brown, Tanya Ferguson, Bruce Irvine, James D. Sterling

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Systems and methods for the efficient agitation of tissue samples. A device may include a plurality of chambers that each receives samples therein. The plurality of chambers may be uniformly spaced with respect to a least one dimension, to form a one dimensional or two-dimensional array. Each of the chambers may include an opening and an agitator device in fluid contact with the sample disposed within the chamber. The agitator devices may include a micromotor which provides rotational motion to a shaft and an impeller fixed to the shaft such that the impeller and the shaft rotate together upon provision …

Targeted Epigenetic Editing Using Optogenetic Tools, Joshua Hahn, Chongli Yuan

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Epigenetics markers, such as DNA methylation and histone post-translational modifications, are modifications to the structure of DNA that impact gene expression without altering the genetic code. Among them, DNA methylation plays a critical role in various biological processes including the differentiation of stem cells, regulation of gene expression, and adaptation to environmental signals. The ability to modify DNA methylation at particular genes in various cell types is thus desirable for engineering specific cell phenotypes. Although technologies exist that can alter DNA methylation at target genes, these techniques lack spatial and temporal resolution and are not able to selectively edit individual …

Uncoupling Fermentative Synthesis Of Molecular Hydrogen From Biomass Formation In Thermotoga Maritima, Raghuveer Singh, Derrick White, Yaşar Demirel, Robert Kelley, Kenneth Noll, Paul H. Blum

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

When carbohydrates are fermented by the hyperthermophilic anaerobe Thermotoga maritima, molecular hydrogen (H₂) is formed in strict proportion to substrate availability. Excretion of the organic acids acetate and lactate provide an additional sink for removal of excess reductant. However, mechanisms controlling energy management of these metabolic pathways are largely unexplored. To investigate this topic, transient gene inactivation was used to block lactate production as a strategy to produce spontaneous mutant cell lines that overproduced H₂ through mutation of unpredicted genetic targets. Single-crossover homologous chromosomal recombination was used to disrupt lactate dehydrogenase (encoded by ldh) with …

Incorporating Germanium Oxide Into The Glass Phase Of Novel Zinc/Magnesium-Based Gpcs Designed For Bone Void Filling: Evaluating Their Physical And Mechanical Properties, Basel A. Khader, Omar Rodriguez, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The structural role of Germanium (Ge), when substituting for Zinc (Zn) up to 8 mol % in the 0.48SiO₂-0.12CaO-0.36ZnO-0.04MgO glass series, was investigated with respect to both the glass chemistry and also the properties of glass polyalkenoate cements (GPCs) manufactured from them. The Network connectivity (NC) of the glass was calculated to increase from 1.83 to 2.42 with the addition of GeO₂ (0-8 mol %). Differential thermal analysis (DTA) results confirmed an increase in the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the glass series with GeO₂ content. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed an increase in …

Software For Peak Finding And Elemental Composition Assignment For Glycosaminoglycan Tandem Mass Spectra, John D. Hogan, Joshua A. Klein, Jiandong Wu, Pradeep Chopra, Geert Jan Boons, Luis Carvalho, Cheng Lin, Joseph Zaia

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) Covalently Linked to Proteoglycans (PGs) Are Characterized by Repeating Disaccharide Units and Variable Sulfation Patterns Along the Chain. GAG Length and Sulfation Patterns Impact Disease Etiology, Cellular Signaling, and Structural Support for Cells. We and Others Have Demonstrated the Usefulness of Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS 2 ) for Assigning the Structures of GAG Saccharides; However, Manual Interpretation of Tandem Mass Spectra is Time-Consuming, So Computational Methods Must Be Employed. in the Proteomics Domain, the Identification of Monoisotopic Peaks and Charge States Relies on Algorithms that Use Averagine, or the Average Building Block of the Compound Class Being Analyzed. …

The Fate Of Nitrogen And Faecal Coliform In The Lubigi Wetland In Uganda, Aloyce Mayo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The capacity of the Lubigi wetland to reduce nitrogen and faecal coliform pollution entering Lake Kyoga in Uganda was investigated. Three transects with 5 sampling points in each, were established in the wetland. Wetland plants samples were collected from the specific locations along the transects, and laboratory tests and analyses were carried out for plants biomass and nitrogen contents determination. Samples of wetland sediments were also collected, and laboratory tests and analyses were done for determination of nitrogen content in the sediments. Wetland water samples were taken from the main wetland inlet and the main outlet from the wetland main …

Effects Of Methyl-Blue Addition In Sewage Substrate On The Performance Of Microbial Fuel Cell, Joseph H. Kihedu Dr.

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Experimental study was undertaken to evaluate performance of microbial fuel cell. Without addition of methyl blue, the cell generated 1.265 V, 0.403 mA and 56.12 mW/m2 after three hours of operation. With 300 µM methyl blue in sewage anolyte, 6.7% increase in voltage, 20.5% increase in current and 28.6% increase in power density was observed. By using ash water catholyte, addition of methyl blue in anolyte led to increase of 9.0% in voltage, 38.5% in current and 50.9% for power density. Between three and twenty four hours of continuous operation of the cell with phosphate buffer catholyte, the average voltage …

Synthesis Of Cr, Cu, Ni, And Y-Doped 3d-Printed Zsm-5 Monoliths And Their Catalytic Performance For N-Hexane Cracking, Xin Li, Abdo Alslam Alwakwak, Fateme Rezaei, Ali A. Rownaghi

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this work, chromium, copper, nickel, and yttrium-doped 3D-printed ZSM-5 monoliths were synthesized by doping the ZSM-5 zeolite paste with corresponding metal precursors. The physical and acid properties of the metal-doped 3D-printed ZSM-5 monoliths were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR), N₂ adsorption, temperature programmed reduction of H₂(H₂-TPR), and temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH₃-TPD) techniques. The characterization of bare and metal-doped monoliths confirmed the presence of metal promoters within the zeolite matrix while their MFI frameworks were retained after doping and printing. It …

Distribution And Localization Of Novel Iodine Nanoparticles In The Human Glioma 1242 Growing In The Brains Of Mice, Benjamin Billings

Honors Scholar Theses

Observing and designing the in vivo distribution and localization of therapeutic nanoparticles is an essential aspect of developing and understanding novel nanoparticle- based medical treatments. This study investigates novel PEGylated Iodine-based nanoparticles (INPs), an alternate composition to the more widely researched gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which may help avoid adverse effects associated with AuNPs, such as potential toxicity and skin discoloration, when used in similar applications. Determining the localization of the novel INPs within murine brains containing human glioma U-1242MG cells is critical in assisting the development of radiation dose enhancement therapy for this aggressive cancer. Radiation dose enhancement utilizes the …

Negative Electron Transfer Dissociation Sequencing Of 3-O-Sulfation-Containing Heparan Sulfate Oligosaccharides, Jiandong Wu, Juan Wei, John D. Hogan, Pradeep Chopra, Apoorva Joshi, Weigang Lu, Joshua Klein, Geert Jan Boons, Cheng Lin, Joseph Zaia

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Among Dissociation Methods, Negative Electron Transfer Dissociation (NETD) Has Been Proven the Most Useful for Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) Sequencing Because It Produces Informative Fragmentation, a Low Degree of Sulfate Losses, High Sensitivity, and Translatability to Multiple Instrument Types. the Challenge, However, is to Distinguish Positional Sulfation. in Particular, NETD Has Been Reported to Fail to Differentiate 4-O- Versus 6-O-Sulfation in Chondroitin Sulfate Decasaccharide. This Raised the Concern of Whether NETD is Able to Differentiate the Rare 3-O-Sulfation from Predominant 6-O-Sulfation in Heparan Sulfate (HS) Oligosaccharides. Here, We Report that NETD Generates Highly Informative Spectra that Differentiate Sites of O-Sulfation on Glucosamine …

Preparation Of Supramolecular Amphiphilic Cyclodextrin Bilayer Vesicles For Pharmaceutical Applications, Kate E. Frischkorn

Master's Theses

Recent pharmaceutical developments have investigated using supramolecular nanoparticles in order to increase the bioavailability and solubility of drugs delivered in various methods. Modification of the carbohydrate cyclodextrin increases the ability to encapsulate hydrophobic pharmaceutical molecules by forming a carrier with a hydrophobic core and hydrophilic exterior. Guest molecules are commonly added to these inclusion complexes in order to add stability and further increase targeting abilities of the carriers. One such guest molecule is adamantine combined with a poly(ethylene glycol) chain. Vesicles are formed by hydrating a thin film of amphiphilic cyclodextrin and guest molecules in buffer solution that mimics physiological …