Congratulations to Dhruv Jatkar, Katherine Miller and Shanthi Hegde for winning a summer 2022 PEAK Experiences Award for their project.

ASCENT AWARDS

Dhruv Jatkar, “Elucidating and Visualizing Interactions in Microbial Communities”
Mentor: Benjamin Woolston, COE, Chemical Engineering
This project aims to investigate and visualize computational methods for the analysis of microbial communities. Microbial communities play a critical role in the climate sector, human health, and beyond. While interactions between microbes can be expensive to explore in-vitro , constraint-based simulations allow a glimpse into microbial consortium at a metabolic level. I will use relevant simulation techniques such as flux balance analysis, graph-based algorithms, and network analysis modules to explore and visualize data models of microbes. The product will be an open-source Python library with robust documentation to be presented at related conferences and used in publications.

SUMMIT AWARDS

Katherine Miller, “Characterizing the Extracellular Polymeric Substance (EPS) Produced by Eubacterium limosum”
Mentor: Benjamin Woolston, COE, Chemical Engineering
This research is aimed at characterizing the composition and genes involved in the synthesis of EPS, a slime-like substance, by the acetogen Eubacterium limosum . Little research has been done to study the EPS produced by this organism, and understanding its composition and genetic pathway augments our knowledge of its function and ability to eliminate its synthesis. HPLC analysis will be performed to evaluate the polysaccharide composition.To determine the role of genes involved in its production and potentially eliminate its synthesis, knockouts and qtPCR will be performed for identified genes of interest.

TRAIL-BLAZER AWARDS

Shanthi Hegde, “Biosensing Hydrogen Sulfide utilizing Closthioamides”
Mentor: Benjamin Woolston, COE, Chemical Engineering
Hydrogen Sulfide in high concentrations has been shown to reduce disulfide bonds, contributing to IBD and Colon Cancer. CTA (Closthioamide) is produced by probiotic anaerobe Ruminichlostridium cellulyticum , which inhibits growth of clinical pathogens–making it a promising target. Utilizing the CTA pathway in R.cellulyticum , the project aims to enhance sulfide sensing in the gut to improve applicability in therapeutics. Polysulfides will be quantified utilizing RT-qPCR, LC-MS, strain engineering, and biosensor testing employing a promoter library. Ultimately, we hope to engineer Ruminichlostridium into a novel sulfide biosensor to enhance polysulfide concentration detection. This research will be presented at ASBMB and ACS.