Low pressure tritiation of proteins

Ph.D.James C. Power

Vapor phase infiltration for transforming polymers into organic-inorganic hybrid materials: Processing science, structural complexity, and emerging applications

Vapor phase infiltration (VPI) exposes polymers to gaseous metalorganic molecules that sorb, diffuse, and become entrapped in the bulk polymer, transforming it into a complex organic-inorganic hybrid material.1 This process is pictured in Figure 1. While VPI’s gaseous dosing sequences may appear similar to other vapor deposition techniques (e.g., atomic layer deposition) the set of atomic scale processes occurring during synthesis constitute a fundamentally different process that results in not just a simple coating on the polymer but rather a complete alteration of the polymer’s bulk chemistry. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

C(60)-Fullerenes: detection of intracellular photoluminescence and lack of cytotoxic effects

We have developed a new method of application of C(60 )to cultured cells that does not require water-solubilization techniques. Normal and malignant cells take-up C(60 )and the inherent photoluminescence of C(60 )is detected within multiple cell lines. Treatment of cells with up to 200 μg/ml (200 ppm) of C(60 )does not alter morphology, cytoskeletal organization, cell cycle dynamics nor does it inhibit cell proliferation. Our work shows that pristine C(60 )is non-toxic to the cells, and suggests that fullerene-based nanocarriers may be used for biomedical applications

Restriction enzyme-free mutagenesis via the light regulation of DNA polymerization

The effects of photocaged nucleosides on the DNA polymerization reaction was investigated, finding that most polymerases are unable to recognize and read through the presence of a single caging group on the DNA template. Based on this discovery, a new method of introducing mutations into plasmid DNA via a light-mediated mutagenesis protocol was developed. This methodology is advantageous over several common approaches in that it requires the use of only two polymerase chain reaction primers, and does not require any restriction sites or use of restriction enzymes. Additionally, this approach enables not only site-directed mutations, but also the insertion of DNA strands of any length into plasmids and the deletion of entire genes from plasmids

Addressing the dichotomy between individual and societal approaches to personalised medicine in oncology

Academic, industry, regulatory leaders and patient advocates in cancer clinical research met in November 2018 at the Innovation and Biomarkers in Cancer Drug Development meeting in Brussels to address the existing dichotomy between increasing calls for personalised oncology approaches based on individual molecular profiles and the need to make resource and regulatory decisions at the societal level in differing health-care delivery systems around the globe. Novel clinical trial designs, the utility and limitations of real-world evidence (RWE) and emerging technologies for profiling patient tumours and tumour-derived DNA in plasma were discussed. While randomised clinical trials remain the gold standard approach to defining clinical utility of local and systemic therapeutic interventions, the broader adoption of comprehensive tumour profiling and novel trial designs coupled with RWE may allow patient and physician autonomy to be appropriately balanced with broader assessments of safety and overall societal benefit. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd

Biological and biomedical implications of the co-evolution of pathogens and their hosts

Co-evolution between host and pathogen is, in principle, a powerful determinant of the biology and genetics of infection and disease. Yet co-evolution has proven difficult to demonstrate rigorously in practice, and co-evolutionary thinking is only just beginning to inform medical or veterinary research in any meaningful way, even though it can have a major influence on how genetic variation in biomedically important traits is interpreted. Improving our understanding of the biomedical significance of co-evolution will require changing the way in which we look for it, complementing the phenomenological approach traditionally favored by evolutionary biologists with the exploitation of the extensive data becoming available on the molecular biology and molecular genetics of host–pathogen interactions

Cotton-Press.

Patent for an improvement to cotton presses, including an illustration

The Closing Door on 450 ppm CO or 2° C Rise in Global Temperature

Presented on April 4, 2012 from 2:00 – 300 pm in the Georgia Tech Library, Neely Lobby, 1 West.Runtime: 57:02 minutes.Dr. Ryan Lively, a Postdoctoral Scholar in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, at Georgia Tech, delivered a presentation on novel low-energy intensity separations for biofuels, focusing the potential of Algenol processes for alternative energy production. Mr. Mark Simpson, doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, presented: “The Solar Vortex: Electrical Power Generation Using Buoyancy-Induced Vortices.” Mr. Simpson explored how artificially induced vortices could be harnessed to capture thermal energy. He presented his prototype technology for this purpose, identified the low environmental impact of this novel technology, and presented preliminary findings of its energy efficiency relative to traditional energy sources. Dr. Marilyn Brown delivered a presentation entitled: “The Closing Door on 450 ppm CO or 2° C Rise in Global Temperature.” Dr. Brown addressed the critical role of energy efficiency in meeting national and international energy consumption and CO emissions reductions. Georgia Tech and Duke University have collaborated to advance research in this area and are the only two universities in the U.S. that utilize the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) to model and forecast energy consumption. The NEMS is the major system utilized by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for such energy modeling and forecasting