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Center for Biofilm Engineering
News Update:
November, 2008
Volume 11, Issue 11
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Industry Highlights
Upcoming
Technical Advisory Conference
The winter
2009 Technical Advisory Conference (TAC) for our Industrial
Associate members and invited guests will be held in Bozeman MT,
February 3-4, (Tuesday-Wednesday). The TAC will feature sessions on
quorum sensing and wound biofilms. A draft agenda is posted on the
CBE’s homepage at:
www.biofilm.montana.edu
Please
contact Paul Sturman (406) 994-2102 for further information.
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Wound Biofilm
Retreat Announcement
In
conjunction with the upcoming conference, the Center for Biofilm
Engineering will be hosting a retreat on the topic of “Biofilms in
Chronic Wounds.” The retreat will bring together a small group of
distinguished scientists, clinicians, and company representatives to
present and discuss how microbial biofilms impact wound healing. In
addition to reviewing the state of knowledge regarding biofilms in
wounds, we hope to illuminate paths towards new therapies for
improving healing based on targeting biofilms. For conference
attendees who stay for the retreat, the afternoon will be an
atmosphere of collegial brainstorming carrying over to a group
dinner that evening. The retreat will be held in Bozeman at the host
hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, on Wednesday February 4, 2009 from 1:00pm
– 5:00pm. A draft agenda is posted on the CBE’s homepage at:
www.biofilm.montana.edu. Retreat cost
in addition to the conference fee: Members, $50; Non-members, $100.
Please
contact Paul Sturman (406) 994-2102 for further information.
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New
Industrial Associate
We are pleased to welcome a new member company.
BD
Medical
has joined the CBE as an Industrial Associate. BD (Becton,
Dickinson and Company) is a global medical technology company that
is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the diagnosis of
infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing drug discovery. BD
develops, manufactures and sells medical supplies, devices,
laboratory instruments, antibodies, reagents and diagnostic products
through its three segments: BD Medical, BD Diagnostics and BD
Biosciences. It serves healthcare institutions, life science
researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and
the general public. The industrial representative will be Gerald
Hodgkinson. Read more about
BD-Medical
View
our Industrial Associate member companies
Read more about membership information
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Research Highlights
Standardized Biofilm Method Approved
Three standardized biofilm methods now provide researchers with a
choice of unique reactor systems for growing biofilm in the
laboratory.
ASTM Subcommittee E35.15 approved the third biofilm standard method
at their October 2008 meeting in Miami, Florida. Method E2647-08
describes how to grow a Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm using
the drip flow biofilm reactor. Method E2647-08 joins methods
E2562-07 (based on the CDC biofilm reactor) and E2196-07 (based on
the rotating disk biofilm reactor).
Related reading: ASTM Standardization News published an
article on the drip flow reactor before it became an approved
standard. See: ASTM Standardization News, May/June 2008;
pages 54–55
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Postdoctoral Research Associate Opening
Duties and responsibilities will include the growth of
sulfate-reducing and methanogenic microorganisms, biomass
production, nucleic acid extraction, global gene expression, and the
use of biofilm reactors. The position will help coordinate project
aspects with different institutions, gather and interpret results,
maintain results in databases, and prepare manuscripts.
Required qualification: Ph.D. in microbiology or closely related
field.
Preferred qualifications are: 1) experience in anaerobic
microbiology; 2) experience in transcriptomics, 3) experience in
metal chemistry, and 4) experience in molecular ecology.
The successful candidate will conduct research with Desulfovibrio
vulgaris and/or Methanococcus maripaludis and related
microorganisms to characterize overall cellular responses during
metal and carbon dioxide reduction in a biofilm state. Successful
candidate will possess excellent written, oral, and interpersonal
communications skills and have the ability to work both
independently and collaboratively with co-workers.
Read the full position description
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Latest CBE Publications
“Scaling up microbial fuel cells”
Dewan A, Beyenal H, Lewandowski Z
Environ Sci Technol 2008; 42:7643–7648
Read the abstract
“In vitro susceptibility of established biofilms composed of a
clinical wound isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa treated with
lactoferrin and xylitol”
Ammons MC, Ward LS, Fisher ST, Wolcott RD, James GA
Int J Antimicrob Agents 2008 Oct 31; [Epub ahead of print]
Read the abstract
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New Employees
We are pleased to introduce Ann Willis as our new Technical
Operations Manager (aka Lab Manager). Ann’s position began November
3, 2008, which will give her several weeks of overlap with John
Neuman before he retires at the end of the year. Ann has 17 years of
progressively responsible professional experience relevant to her
new position with us, including work in private industry, as a high
school science and math teacher, and in lab management here at MSU
in the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry. She has a B.A. in
biology from the University of California, San Diego. Ann comes
highly recommended and our very positive interactions with her lead
us to believe we are fortunate to have her join our team.
We welcome Al Parker, a mathematician and statistician who is
working with the SBM Laboratory on projects funded by the EPA and
the Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology. He
has an MS in statistics and a PhD in mathematics with an emphasis in
biological systems. He completed a postdoc on image reconstruction
problems, funded by the Center for Adaptive Optics in Santa Cruz. In
August 2008, he returned to Bozeman after a year in New Zealand
where he worked at the University of Auckland developing statistical
methods for analyzing very large data sets. In addition to research
on standardized biofilm methods, he will teach in the Department of
Mathematical Sciences and continue his funded collaboration on the
analysis of large data sets.
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Farewells
The following people have recently accepted positions at new
locations. We appreciated their contributions to the CBE’s research
and other programs and wish them the best in their future endeavors!
Andreas Nocker-Einsiedler has taken a position with TNO (www.tno.nl)
beginning Dec 1, 2008, where he will continue to work on methods to
determine cell viability. TNO is located near Utrecht, Holland and provides molecular
solutions to various problems (food, water, medicine and
agriculture).
Taimur Khan has taken a research faculty position at the University
of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
Lynne Leach has relocated to Denver, CO.
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Outreach
Visitors
The following people have recently visited the Center, toured the
labs, and learned about the activities and programs.
Jack Lo, Zimmite Taiwan, Ltd., and Attila Relenyi, AMSA, Inc.,
October 29, 2008
Jodi Balbinot, Sage Products, Inc., October 21, 2008
Robert Pyles, Bayer MaterialScience, October 15, 2008
Roger Wixtrom, LSCI Solutions, October 14, 2008
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CBE People in Action
Phil Stewart presented a seminar “Diverse phenotypes in biofilms:
Implications for antimicrobial control,” Department of Microbiology,
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, November 4, 2008.
Christine Foreman presented a webinar to teachers on “Life in icy
environments” through the Arctic Research Consortium of the US (ARCUS),
October 29, 2008. The podcast is archived at:
http://67.202.210.57/launcher.cgi?room=ARCUS_Live_2008_1029_1839_24
Room ID: ARCUS_Live
Al Cunningham and Lee Spangler presented “An overview of geologic
storage projects in a US-DOE regional carbon sequestration
partnership and research activities in the zero emission research
and technology collaborative (ZERT),” at the Geological Storage of
CO2 International Seminar, University of Stuttgart, Germany, October
20-22, 2008.
Otto Stein traveled to Indore, India where he attended the 11th
International Conference on Wetland Systems for Water Pollution
Control. It is sponsored by the International Water Association (IWA)
specialty group on constructed wetlands (analogous to the Biofilm
group). He presented the following papers:
Faulwetter J, Schultz R, Taylor C (three CBE students) papers. The
Rousseau paper is with collaborators at UNESCO (United Nations in
The Netherlands), based on data collected by Joel Biederman and
Winthrop Allen (two students from 9-10 years ago).
Faulwetter JL, Burr MD, Stein OR, Camper AK. 2008. “Characterization
of sulfate reducing bacteria in constructed wetlands.” Proc. 11th
International Conference on Wetland Systems for Water Pollution
Control, November 1-7, 2008. Indore, India. Accepted.
Rousseau DPL, Shi W, Stein OR, Hook PB. 2008. “Simulation of carbon,
nitrogen and sulphur cycles in lab scale constructed wetlands.”
Proc. 11th International Conference on Wetland Systems for Water
Pollution Control, November 1-7, 2008. Indore, India. Accepted.
Schultz RL, Stein OR, Hook PB. 2008. “Temperature, plant species and
residence time interactions in treatment wetlands.” Proc. 11th
International Conference on Wetland Systems for Water Pollution
Control, November 1-7, 2008. Indore, India. Accepted.
Taylor CL, Stein OR, Hook PB, Zabinski CA. 2008. “Comparing 19 plant
species' seasonal effects on COD removal in model constructed
wetlands.” Proc.11th International Conference on Wetland Systems for
Water Pollution Control, November 1-7, 2008. Indore, India.
Accepted.
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Jennifer Hornemann presented the
following research poster at the 9th International Bologna
Conference of Magnetic Resonance in Porous Media (MRPM9) and won
best poster out of 114 posters. For winning best poster Jennifer
received a coffee mug and a signed copy of Experimental Pulse NMR:
A Nuts and Bolts Approach by Eiichi Fukushima and Stephen B. W.
Roeder.
Hornemann JA, Codd SL, Seymour JD, Romanenko K, “Magnetic resonance
microscopy application to biofouling in porous media," P-096 9th
International Bologna Conference of Magnetic Resonance in Porous
Media (MRPM9), Cambridge, MA, USA, July 13-17, 2008 (POSTER PRIZE)
----------
Joe Seymour as an invited speaker presented ”Magnetic resonance
measurement of the interplay of structure and transport in porous
media,” at the 9th Biannual Magnetic Resonance in Porous Media (MRPM)
Conference, Cambridge, MA July 13-17, 2008.
Joe Seymour and Sarah Codd spent three weeks at the Chemical
Engineering Department and Magnetic Resonance Research Center,
Cambridge University, UK in June and July conducting research and
presenting invited seminars (see below).
Joe Seymour presented “Magnetic resonance microscopy of transport
dynamics: What can it tell us about structure function relationships
of materials?” Department of Chemical Engineering and Magnetic
Resonance Research Center, Cambridge University, Cambridge UK, June
26 2008.
Sarah Codd presented “Magnetic resonance studies of biofilm
systems,” Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Cambridge University,
Cambridge UK, June 26, 2008.
Sarah Codd gave an invited seminar "Magnetic resonance microscopy
studies of fluid dynamics in complex systems," at the Sir Peter
Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre at the University of Nottingham,
Nottingham, UK, June 2008.
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Diane Williams
(editor) and Carol Leist (copy editor) of the CBE News Update.
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