Environmental Biotechnology: Challenges and Opportunities for Chemical Engineers

Graduate Seminarby Professor Wilfred Chen
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
University of California, RiversideAbstractEnvironmental biotechnology refers to the utilization of biomolecules to improve environmental quality. Over the past three decades breakthroughs in molecular genetics have revolutionized our ability to analyze and manipulate the structures and properties of nucleic acids and proteins. However, a major limitation in the applications of biomolecules is the existence of a functional gap between naturally occurring biomolecules and those required by specific practical settings. Therefore, the ability to close this functional gap has become a première intellectual and engineering challenge. In this talk, I will attempt to highlight opportunities available for chemical engineers to make significant contributions in the area of environmental biotechnology and their future challenges. Specially, I will discuss our recent work on the development of new biomolecular engineering tools and their applications in the remediation and detection of toxic pollutants. Examples will include: (1) developing biocatalysts for the detoxification of organophosphorus pesticides, (2) engineering plant-microbe symbiosis for rhizoremediation of heavy metal and TCE, (3) engineering elastin biopolymers for heavy metal remediation and antibody array fabrication, and (4) real-time monitoring of infectious viruses. Monday, April 17, 2006Seminar – 12:30 p.m.THH 116The Scientific Community is Cordially Invited

Location: Mark Taper Hall Of Humanities (THH) - 116

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Petra Pearce