Center for Biomedical Research  This center supports state-of-the-art research facilities for biomedical research, promotes and publicizes biomedical research, and aggressively encourages and supports initiatives for support of biomedical research. The center sponsors research presentations and colloquia, provides funds to support pilot research projects, and identifies novel funding. In addition, the center assists with the development and submission of proposals for external funding of major multi-investigator equipment, (b) provides and maintains readily accessible multi-user equipment facilities, and (c) facilitates access to specialized facilities and services. In addition to supporting and promoting collaborations among its members, the center facilitates interactions between members and other institutions, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and promotes access to biomedical research equipment within the center. |
Regeneration of granular activated carbon and synthetic adsorbents using photocatalytic oxidation  The present invention is a method of purifying fluid having organic material. The method comprises two operational steps. The first step includes passing the fluid through an adsorbent such that the organic material is substantially adsorbed by the adsorbent and the fluid is substantially purified. The second step includes destroying the adsorbed organic material on the adsorbent and regenerating the adsorbent in a form substantially free of adsorbed organic material. |
Development of Green Organic Catalysts  This research program is focused on development of green organic catalysts based on an architecture of buckminsterfullerene (C60) molecules surrounding either a polymer resin bead or dendrimer. These catalysts are activated by light and can function in either organic or aqueous media. We hope to further develop the catalysts to the point where we can carry out stereoselective oxidations and/or decontaminate water. |
Recovery of Polystyrene in Lost Foam This technology emerged from a research program initiated to assist the metal casting industry in prevention of polymer waste disposal, and to promote engineering solutions leading to reuse of the polymer. Our research strategy was based the principles of modern mineral processing technology to polymer recovery. The program includes particulate characterization, examination of surface-interfacial properties of the pattern components, development of an analytical technique for contaminant concentration measurements, shredding and size reduction, and selective separation testing based on component density. Our results indicate that as high as 98% of the polystyrene can be recovered, while the level of coating contaminants did not exceed 5 wt% in the final product, after using the developed technology. |
Free Machining Brass Alloys Tonnage quantities of leaded brasses are used in manufacturing plumbing fittings and fixtures. The lead, which appears as small inclusions in the microstructure, promotes efficient and precise machining. There is evidence indicating that minute quantities of lead dissolved from these alloys by drinking water may have adverse health effects and, for this reason, there is an urgent need to develop free machining alloys that do not contain lead. The means by which lead enhances machinability is not well understood but it may have simultaneous roles in lubrication and in local embrittlement processes. This program of research has the objective the characterization of the elemental cutting and fracture processes. |
Aqueous Corrosion of Copper Copper is generally extremely resistant to corrosive attack by water. However, certain municipal well waters cause pitting attack of copper water tubes. The attack involves the development of a local occluded electrochemical cell, covered by a copper oxide membrane, within which there is an enriched chloride environment. As the demand for fresh water continues to grow, there is an increasing use of water from brackish wells and increasing incidence of damage by this type of corrosion. This program of research is designed to yield a better understanding of the phenomenon. |
Probing the Structure and Functional Importance of Arginase This program of research focuses on structure-function-activity relationships for enzymes involved in arginine metabolism. Arginase is a manganoprotein that catalyzes the hydrolysis of L-arginine to form L-ornithine and urea. Rat liver (cytosolic) and human kidney (mitochondrial) isozymes have been expressed in and purified from E. coli. Crystal structures for both isozymes have been determined. Inhibitor studies have shown that extra-hepatic arginases play a role in regulating nitric oxide production in both male and female sexual organs. Current studies focus on the role of individual amino acids in the catalytic cycle as probed by site-directed mutagenesis. |
Aquatic Ecological Tools for Great Lakes Survival Research focus is on the decline of the yellow perch population in Lake Michigan. Areas of expertise include fresh water food webs, zooplankton ecology, aquatic biodiversity and larval fish recruitment. Also responsible for directing the Michigan Water Research Center, a collaboration of researchers who evaluate surface water in lakes, streams and wetlands. The Center addresses such local concerns as nuisance algae, bacteria, contaminants, drinking water safety and recreational water degradation. Researchers in the center work as a team to assess lake nutrients and acidity, test for toxins and evaluate fish populations. |
Elucidating and Manipulating the Role of Malate in the Maintenance of Stomatal Aperture  The purpose of this research project is to use genetic engineering to alter plant responses to growth under irrigation. Irrigation is widely used to prevent crop losses due to drought. In the United States, approximately 70% of the water diverted by humans is used to irrigate crops. Irrigation has dried up rivers and caused salinization of crop land, which reduces crop productivity. Genetically modified crops that use less water under irrigation conditions have the potential to save massive amounts of irrigation water and to reduce the destruction of farm land.
The majority of water used by plants is lost to the atmosphere through openings called stomata on leaf surfaces. Specialized guard cells that border the stomata control stomatal opening and closing through changes in the concentrations of certain ions in the guard cells. Prof. Laporte's research focuses on one of these ions, malate, which is maintained at high concentrations in guard cells when stomata are open. The metabolism of malate is linked to stomatal closure. Prof. Laporte will study the enzyme that metabolizes malate to look for ways of altering its activity, thereby modulating the size of the stomatal opening while maintaining the stomatal function critical to optimal plant growth.
The long-term goals of this project include not only a better understanding of the way in which malate metabolism in guard cells regulates the size of the stomatal opening, but also the actual molecular engineering of plants with conservative water use under irrigation. In order to accomplish this, Prof. Laporte will conduct genetic studies of the gene for the malate-metabolizing enzyme, identifying which form of the enzyme is made in guard cells. She will then evaluate the size of the stomatal opening and the use of water in plants that make more the metabolizing enzyme in guard cells than usual, plants that make no metabolizing enzyme in guard cells, and plants that make a mutant metabolizing enzyme in guard cells. These experiments will provide the information Prof. Laporte will use to engineer a plant that uses less irrigation water.
Through this research project, Prof. Laporte will also contribute to the training of undergraduate students. Eastern Michigan University has a diverse student body of high-quality undergraduates who are interested in one-on-one training with faculty members. Although many EMU students go on to graduate or professional school or join the scientific workforce; an even larger number become K-12 teachers. While pursuing the goals of this research, Prof. Laporte will train promising undergraduate students, including members of underrepresented minorities, who will become the next generation of scientists and teachers. The extensive connections between EMU and the local K-12 teaching community provide opportunities for high school students, as well as current and future teachers, to learn from and become involved in Prof. Laporte's research program. Many of the molecular, biochemical, and physiological techniques used in this project, along with the accompanying critical thinking skills, can be adapted for use in high school classrooms. |
Biogeochemical Exploration of Acidic and Neutral Hypersaline Environments of Australia This is a collaborative project of Drs. Melanie R. Mormile, Francisca E. Oboh-Ikuenobe (University of Missouri-Rolla), and Kathleen C. Benison (Central Michigan University) to determine if evaporites truly trap a representative population of microorganisms from hypersaline environments. If this is found to be true, these findings can possibly be extrapolated to microorganisms entrapped in ancient or possibly extraterrestrial evaporites and used to describe previous microbial communities and therefore, make interpretations about past water chemistries and past climates. Microorganisms represent the basic life forms existing in most environmental settings. They are sensitive to climatic parameters, and can influence water chemistry, biological activity, and mineralization. Evaporite minerals are a wealth of paleoenvironmental data due to their sensitivity to climate, water chemistry, and hydrology. In addition, evaporites can form in extreme environmental conditions, such as extremely acid saline lakes in Western Australia. These lakes might serve as good analogs to Mars. Traditionally, studies of evaporite settings and their deposits have overlooked microorganisms largely because they are generally poorly preserved in the rock record. However, through this research, answers to the following questions will be found: What microorganisms are present in the lake waters, groundwaters, and sediments of acid and neutral saline lake environments? Are the microorganisms found living in the waters represented in the fluid inclusions of the evaporite minerals? Are the microorganisms specific acidophiles? What role did the microorganisms play in the evolution of the water chemistry? To answer these questions, a sampling trip will be made to Australia to collect a comprehensive set of lake water, groundwater, evaporite, and siliciclastic sediment samples. The following objectives will be achieved: 1. Identify and compare the biological remains in halite and gypsum with those in their parent waters and sediments. Both traditional culture methods and molecular biology techniques will be used to compare the microbial populations in the environments listed above. 2. Grow evaporite crystals under laboratory conditions to study selected environmental influences on crystal formation and the microorganisms that become entrapped. 3. Identify any differences in microorganisms (ranging from prokaryotes to freshwater dinoflagellates and algae) between neutral and moderately acidic saline lakes and groundwaters in Victoria and Western Australia, between neutral and extremely acidic saline lakes within a small region of Western Australia, as well as among extremely acidic saline lakes and groundwaters in Western Australia. The 16S rDNA from the bacteria isolated from these environments will be sequenced and compared. 4. Constrain depositional, environmental, and climatic conditions using basic sedimentology, petrography, fluid inclusion studies, and palynology. Sedimentary structures and grain characteristics will be used to trace depositional history.
We anticipate that novel microorganisms will be found. These organisms can possibly be used for the bioremediation of contaminated sites that are impacted by extremes in saline and acidic conditions. In addition, our findings will have implications for future Mars research and the possibility that life can occur on planetary bodies besides Earth. Of all the planetary bodies explored, Mars most closely resemble Earth. In particular, terrestrial acid sedimentary systems are similar in general mineralogy, geochemistry, and geomorphology to the Martian surface. Furthermore, this project will be responsible for the training of students ranging from undergraduate level to Post-Doctoral students. There is also a significant outreach component that includes a partnership with the St. Louis Science Center as well as a course on the geology and microbiology of extreme environments targeted towards K-12 educators. |
Biochemical Characterization of Carbofuran Hydroxylase This project supports collaborative research between Dr. Rasul Chaudhry, Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Oakland, Michigan and Dr. Narayan Roy, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. They plan to study certain enzymes that degrade pesticides. The PIs have studied microbial degradation of carbamates and isolated microorganisms that can degrade these chemicals. Microorganisms either hydrolyze or oxidize the chemicals. Hydrolytic processes are less efficient and partially degrade pesticides, whereas oxidation reactions involved in degradation of carbamates are efficient, but more complex. The goal of the study is to determine the molecular mechanism of microbial oxidation of carbofuran. Using a variety of biochemical and molecular biology techniques, the PIs will test the following hypotheses: 1. A mixed function oxygenase, carbofuran hydroxylase, catalyzes the reaction of carbofuran to 4-hydroxycarbofuran. 2. A cytochrome P-450 or another unknown cofactor is involved in the electron transport circuit from NADPH to molecular oxygen. The following four specific aims will be pursued: 1. Purify the enzyme complex responsible for hydroxylation of carbofuran, 2. Characterize the purified enzyme, 3. Determine the components of the hydroxylase and their interactions responsible for catalyzing the reaction, and 4. Investigate the diversity of pesticide-degrading microorganisms. A combined expertise of the collaborating investigators, a biochemist and a molecular biologist will help solve the novel mechanism of induction and functioning of the hydroxylase complex that is key to the effective inactivation of carbofuran in the environment.
Pesticides such as carbofuran are the major group of chemicals that are used in large amounts for improving productivity and quality of crops. While these chemicals are vital to agriculture, human exposure to these pesticides through consumption of foods or drinking water has been suggested to play a key role in the early onset of neurological diseases, old age diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, immunological and reproductive disorders as well as an increase in the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This study will substantiate and extend our understanding of microbial metabolic diversity. It will also help develop new strategies for their safe and effective use as well as disposal. |
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