Two students majoring in chemical engineering at West Virginia University won top honors in poster competitions at the 15th annual meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Reem Eldawud, a doctoral student from Jordan, finished second in the Bionanotechnology Graduate Student Award Session. Andy Maloney, a senior from Morgantown, finished second in the Food, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology category, which featured 93 entrants.
Eldawud is working to develop new ways to analyze toxicity of nanomaterials, which are 100,000 times smaller than the human hair and are used in consumer applications ranging from cosmetics to biomedical devices to electronics and food packaging. Understanding their toxicological profiles is key to prevent their harmful effects on human health and the environment.
Using the intrinsic natural sensitivity of cells, Eldawud analyzed changes in cellular shape and morphology as a result of their exposure to nanomaterials of carbon. These changes are then correlated to changes in cellular function to derive nanomaterial-specific cellular effects. The changes are tracked in real time.
“This research has opened great opportunities to meet and interact with other graduate students and professionals who are doing similar work,” explained Eldawud. “Being recognized by leaders in the bio-nano-technology field is very rewarding.”
Maloney’s presentation, “Bionano-Enzyme Conjugates with Bacterial Decontamination Capabilities,” showed how environmentally friendly and self-sufficient bionano conjugates can be used for biological decontamination.
By combining two enzymes – glucose oxidase and chloroperoxidase – Maloney noted that more than 99 percent of the E. Coli present was killed with 30 minutes of treatment. Further integration of such conjugates into fabrics, for instance, can produce the next generation of self-cleaning systems. E. Coli is a bacteria known to be responsible for infections resulting from contaminated water or person-to-person contact,
“Outbreak of severe infections due to inefficient or unsuccessful decontamination of surfaces could impact civilians and infrastructures leading to unfavorable socio-economic impacts,” Maloney noted in his presentation. The next generation of decontamination technologies needs to reduce the logistical burdens associated with infection prevention preferably through use of green technologies.”
Maloney, who is also a student in WVU’s Honors College, said attending the conference helped to solidify his future career plans, which include graduate school.
“I met a lot of faculty at universities at which I am considering pursuing graduate studies,” he said. “Additionally, presenting my research is a great way to network with peers and see cutting-edge research that is being conducted at other institutions. It was an honor to be selected as one of the top competitors.”
Both students are advised by Cerasela Zoica Dinu, associate professor of chemical engineering.
“Seeing our students recognized in the scientific community is both an example of the quality education they receive at WVU and the importance of the problems they tackle,” said Dinu.
Other WVU students in attendance at the conference include sophomores Anna Gilpin and Cassidy Bland, juniors Melanie Hott and Jordan Chapman, and seniors Matthew Sorrells and Matt Steinheimer. Gilpin, Bland, Hott, Chapman and Sorrells are also students in the Honors College.
-WVU-
mcd/11/17/15
CONTACT: Mary C. Dillon, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
304.293.4086, Mary.Dillon@mail.wvu.edu
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.