<div class="gmail_quote">Dear Student,<br>
<br>
I hope your spring courses are progressing well.<br>
<br>
This summer I have several on-campus biotechnology research projects, which<br>
are in need of student assistance. If you are interested in a field like<br>
pharmaceutical production, biofuels, or greening our parks, check out the<br>
project descriptions at the end of this email. All the projects can be<br>
long-term UROP, and have the potential to lead to presentation at a conference<br>
and publication.<br>
<br>
If you are interested in any of the proposed projects, please send me a copy<br>
of your resume, along with an email explaining your specific interest. Summer<br>
projects are usually for pay, but the "for credits" option is possible if that<br>
is what you want to pursue.<br>
<br>
Yours,<br>
<br>
J.-F. Hamel<br>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><a href="mailto:jhamel@mit.edu">jhamel@mit.edu</a></span><br>
<br>
Summer 2010 Projects:<br>
<br>
1. Evaluation of a novel enzyme-based membrane for measuring glycerol<br>
<br>
Glycerol is a popular carbon substrate to grow recombinant *E. coli*, for<br>
making therapeutics. The YSI Company (<a href="http://www.ysi.com" target="_blank">www.ysi.com</a>) is developing a novel<br>
assay for their analyzer. The student involved with the project would<br>
compare (using statistical analysis) the results obtained with the YSI<br>
technology with those obtained by HPLC. The project would also involve<br>
conducting actual recombinant * E. coli* fermentations and measuring<br>
glycerol consumption.<br>
<br>
The student involved with the project would receive training on the analyzer<br>
from a YSI company expert.<br>
<br>
2. Using the smart shake flask and microreactor for study the growth of E. coli<br>
and gene expression<br>
<br>
Novel technologies are now available to monitor pH and dissolved oxygen in<br>
real-time, in the shake flask and microreactor, which enable the study of cell<br>
growth and gene expression at high cell concentrations. The student involved in<br>
this project will use such technologies to develop recipes for growing E. coli<br>
at high-cell densities (OD>30) and for producing the Green Fluorescent Protein.<br>
The project will involve medium design and metabolic studies. The small-scale<br>
process will be scaled up in a 20-L scalable bioreactor. The project is<br>
sponsored by the Merck company.<br>
<br>
3. Study of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) from eukaryotic cells (e.g.,<br>
mammalian cells) in a novel single-use (plastic) stirred-tank bioreactor<br>
The research and development side of the Millipore Company, based in<br>
Bedford, MA, has developed a novel bioreactor, for which few data are<br>
available regarding cell growth kinetics, oxygen mass transport, and MAb<br>
production.<br>
<br>
The on-campus student(s) working on this project would work closely with an<br>
MIT intern, based at Millipore this summer. There would also be frequent<br>
interactions with senior researchers at Millipore.<br>
<br>
4. Evaluation of novel hollow-fiber filters for processing mammalian cell<br>
culture, and purification of MAb<br>
The AsahiKASEI Bioprocess Company (<a href="http://www.ak-bio.com" target="_blank">www.ak-bio.com</a>), the US subsidiary of a<br>
large Japanese Company, needs data on a novel hollow-fiber filter designed<br>
for cell separation and recovery of the secreted product (e.g., MAb).<br>
<br>
The student(s) would work closely with US and Japanese researchers from the<br>
company, and would first carry out cell culture experiments in the<br>
bioreactor to produce sufficient cell culture for the filtration studies.<br>
<br>
5. Production of biofuels (i.e., ethanol) from sugarcane bagasse, sorghum<br>
and<br>
seaweed<br>
*Project A:* In this project, the student will study the influence of<br>
temperature, the percentage of solids, and residence time, using sugarcane<br>
bagasse. This substrate will be ground to certain specifications and treated<br>
with an acid or a base to produce a hydrolyzate. Pretreatment products<br>
(sugars) and byproducts (inhibitory degradation compounds) will be measured<br>
using chemical/biochemical assays and FTIR. The effectiveness of the<br>
sugar-containing hydrolyzate will be evaluated by yeast fermentation, for<br>
ethanol production.<br>
<br>
*Project B:* In this project, the student will optimize the use of two<br>
enzymes in an integrated process for the liquefaction and saccharification<br>
of Milo sorghum. Sorghum has drawn new interest as a fuel substrate given<br>
its drought resistant nature and its good production with limited water. The<br>
enzymes, alpha-amylase and glucoamylase, are traditionally used sequentially<br>
in a two-step bioprocess. Each enzyme has specific requirements when<br>
employed alone (for alpha-amylase: 85°C, pH 5.7, 2 hours; for glucoamylase:<br>
65°C, pH 5.0, 12 hours). When designing the novel integrated bioprocess,<br>
intermediate temperatures and pHs (at which both perform well) will be<br>
identified. The extent of enzyme hydrolysis will be measured from the<br>
released sugars, using chemical/biochemical assays. The effectiveness of the<br>
sugar-containing hydrolyzate will be evaluated by yeast fermentation, for<br>
ethanol production.<br>
<br>
*Project C: In this project, the student will design a process for extracting<br>
polysaccharides from seaweed, to then extract fermentable sugars from them<br>
and to assess their relative value for making biofuels.<br>
<br>
6. Enhancing the biodegradation of bags used to collect animal waste<br>
The proposed project is part of the Park Spark project -<br>
<a href="http://parksparkproject.com/home.html" target="_blank">http://parksparkproject.com/home.html</a><br>
This is a project will introduce digesters into public parks in urban areas<br>
and use dog waste as the raw materials to make methane. There are on-going<br>
discussions with the city of Cambridge's parks and recreation as well as<br>
Cambridge Art Council aiming to implement the project in Cambridge, this<br>
summer.<br>
<br>
One challenge is that the "biodegradable" bag used to collect the waste<br>
needs to meet specific criteria, and degrade in an acceptable period. The<br>
MIT project would look into low-cost and safe solutions for enhancing the<br>
degradation kinetics of the bag.<br>
<br>
The UROP would be set up as part of MIT's Public Service Center.<br>
</div><br>