Nanoparticle characterization system for analysis of microbial vesicles in relation to biological communication networks and applications in microbial biosynthetic technologies
Abstract
Project Abstract (Publically Releasable): Understanding the diverse capabilities of microbial vesicles exchange will enable the deve lopment of new strategies to control biogenic synthesis. A current ONR-funded project is focused on the connections between abiotic and biotic system, including engineering networks of cells to synthesize inorganic nanomaterials. Microbial vesicles have arisen as an exciting new direction of inquiry given the ability of vesicles to create chemical compartments with userdefined conditions for biologically-driven synthesis. This project relies on a method for routine characterization of nanoscale materials from multiple sa mples. Nanoparticle tracking is a stateof-the-art method for quantifying the density and size distribution of nanoscale vesicles, wi th significant advantages over alternative techniques such as time-consuming and low-throughput electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The acquisition of a nanoparticle characterization system capable of nanoparticle tracking will have a significant impa ct on several ongoing DoD-funded projects, as well as provide a new capability for DoD-funded researchers in a research university w ith a diverse portfolio of DoD projects. The instrument will also enable training of undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars in this critical analytical technique in the growing area of microbial vesicle research, a field with high po tential to intersect with multiple DoD areas of interest.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 22, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112931
Entities
People
- James Q Boedicker
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Southern California