Cameron

New Frontiers Grant Program Successes for RASEI Fellows

Anonymous — Wed, 08 May 2024 20:48:10 +0000

New Frontiers Grant Program Successes for RASEI Fellows Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/08/2024 - 14:48

Daniel Morton

The CU Boulder New Frontiers Grant Program was launched in 2024. The program is designed to foster visionary groundbreaking, interdisciplinary research projects that have potential for high impact. This could include significant advances in knowledge, problem-solving or innovation that can build to new paradigms of understanding.

New Frontiers Grant Program

2024 Award Announcement

A central column of this program is to stimulate the development of new strengths at CU Boulder, driven by researchers thinking across disciplines and developing methods to work together to tackle complex and impactful research challenges.

Twenty-six teams submitted collaborative proposals were submitted to this program earlier this year and four projects were selected as winners of planning grants, two of which involved RASEI Fellows.

New Frontiers in Bio-Integrated Organic Computing & Low-Energy Innovative Carbon-based Manufacturing, or BIO-CLIC, led by RASEI Fellow Jeff Cameron and engaging a team across four CU Boulder departments and collaborators from NREL, will explore challenges in computational efficiency by investigating unconventional computing approaches that employ renewable sources and carbon fixation processes.

Polymers for a Sustainable Earth, or POSE, led by Wei Zhang from the Department of Chemistry and involving RASEI Fellows Dan Kaffine, Kat Knauer, Oana Luca, Seth Marder, Srinivas Parinandi, Mike Toney, and Terri Walters, brings together collaborators from six CU Boulder departments and NREL. POSE will foster a community to facilitate extramural research and funding at a scale to effectively address the issue of plastic pollution and new, sustainable methods to synthesize, reuse, and recycle polymers.

The four teams were chosen following 14 in-person pitches, where the teams outlined how their proposed work addresses important societal problems through adopting collaborative interdisciplinary approaches. The four teams will now use the next year to advance their proposals, build out the team and conduct initial investigations on how to take things forward. The teams will then compete for the single Launch Phase Grant of $200k, which will be awarded in June 2025.

Congratulations to the teams! We look forward to seeing your progress over the next year!

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BES: Interdisciplinary opportunities in mineral sciences: from nanoscale to the moon

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 06:00:00 +0000

BES: Interdisciplinary opportunities in mineral sciences: from nanoscale to the moon Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/25/2024 - 00:00

Abstract:

Mineralogy is an ancient science, with writings on mineral properties dating to the 4th Century BC across cultures. Today, minerals are viewed as the containers of ingredients needed to develop the low-carbon economy, and before long mining will occur off the Earth. Mineral sciences are broad, and that perspective brings opportunity for interdisciplinary collaborations across fields of science, engineering and medicine. Originally driven to study mineral properties at extreme conditions of pressure, temperature, radiation, etc. in geophysical sciences, through collaborative opportunities my journey in the mineral sciences has led to technology transfer wherein extreme environments are the vehicle to create, modify or control material properties with some fundamental science applications in energy, nanotechnology and offworld construction.

Bio:

Steve Jacobsen is Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Northwestern University and Faculty Affiliate of the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, and the Center for Engineering Sustainability and Resilience at Northwestern. He received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) through the National Science Foundation, a Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering, and was Editor of Geophysical Research Letters from 2018-2023. Prior to joining Northwestern, he was an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow at the Bavarian Geoinstitute in Germany, and the Barbara McClintock Postdoctoral Fellow at the Earth and Planets Laboratory at Carnegie Institution for Science. He received his Ph.D. in geophysics in 2001 from the �鶹��Ƶ.

Steve Jacobsen | Northwestern University

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Bacterial Disco Lights: Using light to control the movement and arrangement of cyanobacteria to form liquid crystalline active matter

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Bacterial Disco Lights: Using light to control the movement and arrangement of cyanobacteria to form liquid crystalline active matter Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/02/2024 - 00:00

Daniel Morton

Read the Article

This collaboration, between a bacterial biochemist and a condensed-matter physicist, use light to control the movement and arrangement of cyanobacteria, forming two- and three-dimensional nematic liquid crystalline states that could provide significant opportunities to regulate the behavior of the bacterial systems and open up new areas in bio-manufacturing that use carbon dioxide as the feedstock for the production of oxygen, biofuels, or biomaterials.

Cyanobacteria are one of the most ancient forms of life, dating back to ~3.5 billion years ago. Highly abundant, these bacterial dinosaurs use carbon dioxide and light as inputs and convert them to energy, motion, and oxygen. The term ‘Active Matter’ is used to describe systems that take in and dissipate energy at the level of constituent particles and, in the process, perform systematic movements. Essentially all forms of life can be considered active matter. Injecting energy into an active matter system often leads to emergent collective phenomena, think flocks of birds or schools of fish. Though there has been extensive research on the photosynthetic action of cyanobacteria, quantitative exploration of the motion, arrangement, and potential collective behavior of cyanobacteria is relatively unexplored. Intrigued by exploring these phenomena further, two RASEI Fellows formed an unusual partnership to investigate.

In 2018 RASEI Fellows Jeff Cameron and Ivan Smalyukh were awarded a grant from the DOE to build a specialized microscope system for imaging photosynthetic microbes. The system includes an ultrafast laser system that enable multi-photon excitation in the pigments in the cyanobacterial cells, a technique that was essential for this investigation. Cameron, a member of the Department of Biochemistry, is an expert in cyanobacteria and photosynthesis, while Smalyukh, a member of the Department of Physics, is an expert in condensed matter physics, with a specialty in liquid crystals. The unusual nature of this partnership is not lost on them. “Normally Biochemistry and Physics are separated, making close collaboration difficult” explains Cameron, “especially when close experimental collaboration is needed, requiring routine access to environmental chambers and biological research labs as well as advanced laser labs”. A key feature in how RASEI is setup is the co-location of multidisciplinary researchers. Cameron notes “This enables researchers to work hand-in-hand on studies that would simply not be possible if the two labs were on opposite sides of campus”.

Working together the findings from this team were conclusive; the cyanobacteria danced to the light! When a localized light was introduced to the bacteria, they harvested energy from the light through photosynthesis and used the energy generated to move towards the light. Experiments were done in two modes, one where the bacteria were confined to a two-dimensional plane, and the second where they could move in three-dimensions. In the two-dimensional system as the density of bacteria in the colony increased in the illuminated area emergent collective behavior emerged, with the bacteria forming a nematic arrangement, similar to that observed in synthetic liquid crystals. This emergent behavior was found to develop dramatically over time, with the direction, orientation, and trajectory of the cyanobacteria all changing, thought to be driven by an optimization toward enhanced light energy intake. Expanding this to the three-dimensional studies the team found that the cyanobacteria stacked on top of each other to form 3D active nematic slabs. The specialized microscope system enabled the teams to effectively explore these three-dimensional structures, even looking at cross-sectional views of the emergent behaviors. Comprehensive studies explored a range of properties of these emergent ‘Flocks of Cyanobacteria’, including examining transitions between fluid and gel states, the impacts of introducing defects, interactions between polydomain systems, and movement around foreign objects.

Precise control of biological systems is the ‘holy grail’ in biomanufacturing. Spatial patterning of the cyanobacteria impacts the structural and functional properties of the bacteria. Cyanobacteria only require carbon dioxide, water, and light, and can produce biofuels, commodity chemicals, and minerals, all while pulling carbon dioxide out of the air and producing oxygen. Understanding, and more importantly being able to reliably control, the optimal conditions for these bio-manufacturing to operate has the potential to enable new avenues to utilize these biological systems in benefiting society and the environment.

Armed with an enhanced understanding of how these bacteria move and can be controlled by light, the team is excited by the possibilities. Smalyukh explains “Our discovery of out-of-equilibrium active matter phase transitions in filamentous cyanobacteria systems may find utility in commanding collective behavior of cyanobacteria, with potential biotechnological utility ranging from control of bacterial mats and blooms, to oxygen generation an inhibition of toxin production”. Cameron adds “the possibilities are endless-once we can control the growth and orientation of biology, we can create novel materials and start to think about entirely new, environmentally-friendly, biomanufacturing opportunities.”

There is something poignant when you consider employing these ancient lifeforms, that were responsible for the Great Oxidation Event, profoundly changing life as we know it, as active agents in pulling carbon dioxide, the key causative greenhouse gas in the climate crisis, out of our atmosphere. The understanding and control made possible through the investigations described here bring this one step closer.

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS, 2024, 5, 37

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Photosynthetically-powered phototactic active nematic liquid crystal fluids and gels

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Photosynthetically-powered phototactic active nematic liquid crystal fluids and gels Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/15/2024 - 00:00

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS, 2024, 5, 37

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How to build a climate-friendly skyscraper: Start small. Petri-dish small

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 06:00:00 +0000

How to build a climate-friendly skyscraper: Start small. Petri-dish small Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/14/2023 - 00:00

Prometheus Materials, co-founded by RASEI Fellow Jeff Cameron, has a solution for replacing one of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gasses, financial backing from Microsoft and an aggressive plan to scale up quickly.

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Hydrogel-assisted self-healing of biomineralized living building materials

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Hydrogel-assisted self-healing of biomineralized living building materials Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/25/2023 - 00:00

JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, 2023, 418, 138178

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Asymmetric survival in single-cell lineages of cyanobacteria in response to photodamage

Anonymous — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Asymmetric survival in single-cell lineages of cyanobacteria in response to photodamage Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/30/2022 - 00:00

Photosynthesis Research, 2023, 155, 289-297

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Role of carboxysomes in cyanobacterial CO2 assimilation: CO2 concentrating mechanisms and metabolon implications

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Role of carboxysomes in cyanobacterial CO2 assimilation: CO2 concentrating mechanisms and metabolon implications Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/11/2022 - 00:00

Env. Microbial., 2022, 1-10

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Dynamic and single cell characterization of a CRISPR-interference toolset in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 for β-ketoadipate production from p-coumarate

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Dynamic and single cell characterization of a CRISPR-interference toolset in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 for β-ketoadipate production from p-coumarate Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 09/05/2022 - 00:00

Metabolic Engineering Communications, 2022, 15, e00204

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Filmmakers Collaborate to Reveal New Perspectives on the Microscopic World of Bacteria

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Filmmakers Collaborate to Reveal New Perspectives on the Microscopic World of Bacteria Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 07/07/2022 - 00:00

Daniel Morton

Read the highlight in the Denverite

Find out more about the REFRESH Exhibit

The NEST Studio

A series of films, canvases, and a dynamic living wall expose the multifaceted worlds of cyanobacteria in an exhibition now on display at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS). REFRESH reveals microscopic landscapes that allow us to ponder how these prehistoric organisms shaped our world, and how they could help us move toward a cleaner future.

This collaboration at the intersection of biochemistry and the arts, created by faculty at the �鶹��Ƶ, provides an extraordinary view of the shape, structure, and interaction of cyanobacteria, diving into the diversity and scope of form, function, and scientific potential of these essential and complex organisms. Viewers are invited to explore the fascinating form and color of four different species of cyanobacteria across the living wall exhibit and immerse themselves in the microscopic landscapes portrayed in the films. The exhibit is free with admission, and REFRESH is located within Expedition Health on Level 2. The DMNS is open every day (9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and most Fridays until 9 p.m.), and tickets are available at www.dmns.org.

“I would love for people to marvel at these organisms, to think about the fact that we have not always had this much oxygen on the planet,” said co-creator Erin Espelie. “Cyanobacteria actively changed our atmosphere, allowing for the evolution of life. Now we are actively changing our atmosphere, and cyanobacteria could be a mechanism to counter some of the effects.”

The exhibition showcases ways in which the public can spend some time living amongst the cyanobacteria. It was sparked by the meeting of filmmakers Erin Espelie, Associate Professor in Arts & Sciences and the College of Media, Information and Communication, and Co-Director of the Nature, Environment, Science & Technology (NEST) Studio for the Arts, and Jeff Cameron, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and a Fellow of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI; a joint institute between CU Boulder and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)).

“The images and cinematography generated in this project are incredible, and it has been a privilege to inhabit this microscopic world,” said Espelie.

“I would love for people to marvel at these organisms, to think about the fact that we have not always had this much oxygen on the planet”

Cyanobacteria are responsible for one of the most monumental global changes in Earth’s history. Around 2.5 billion years ago The Great Oxidation Event (GOE) transitioned the earth’s atmosphere from containing almost no oxygen to containing significant levels of oxygen. This proved toxic to many anaerobic organisms which do not require molecular oxygen for growth, providing a driving force for the evolution of aerobic organisms like ourselves that do require oxygen. Evidence indicates that this transition was caused by cyanobacteria, which harnessed energy from the sun through photosynthesis to fix carbon dioxide and produce oxygen as a byproduct. The storage of chemical energy and production of oxygen led to the subsequent development of multi-cellular life-forms, forever changing the course of life on this planet.

Research suggests that cyanobacteria could be key in our efforts to regulate the levels of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere today, a challenge central to the climate crisis.

The extraordinary function of cyanobacteria is such that their impact may not just be felt in our past, but also our future. Researchers believe that these organisms could play a central role in tackling the challenges of climate change. The Cameron group use advanced microscopic imaging and analysis techniques to probe the biological machinery inside the bacteria. Of particular interest is how cyanobacteria can play a role in capturing carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas and atmospheric pollutant accelerating climate change, from the air, and concentrating it to produce useful chemical products.

“Cyanobacteria have a highly efficient CO₂-concentrating mechanism (CCM) that enables biological capture and conversion of carbon dioxide into useful biomolecules that can benefit society and the environment” says Cameron.

The creative minds behind this collaboration first met at a leadership workshop hosted by the CU Boulder Research & Innovation Office (RIO).

“We quickly found that we had common ground in our work; we are both filmmakers,” said Espelie.

However, the subjects of the two teams’ work are quite different; Erin’s documentary work focuses on innovative ways to ethically chronicle wildlife and the natural world, while Cameron’s work has centered around using advanced microscopy and synthetic biology to explore the world of cyanobacteria, and how these ancient organisms can be used to solve modern problems. Inspired by this intersection of interests and motivated to explore potential synergies, they successfully applied for a RIO SEED grant, which offered support and creative freedom for the teams to work together and explore cyanobacteria from a visual perspective.

“The SEED grant provided the opportunity for experimentation in an arts realm, enabling an exploration of our curiosities- something that is at the heart of both the arts and the sciences,” said Espelie.

The exhibit, which opened its doors at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in April of 2022, showcases some of this exploratory work. It features short films, still images on canvas, and artfully-designed Petri dishes of live cyanobacteria that document some of the studies made possible by this partnership.

“Cyanobacteria have a highly efficient CO₂-concentrating mechanism (CCM) that enables biological capture and conversion of carbon dioxide into useful biomolecules that can benefit society and the environment”

“Filming cyanobacteria has some really unique challenges,” said Evan Johnson, a Research Assistant and Lab Manager in the Cameron group at CU Boulder.

Taking timelapse images of bacteria growing has been done before, but what is special about cyanobacteria is that they are photosynthetic, so you are using their energy source- light- to film them. The delicate biochemical machinery that captures energy from light can be damaged if too high an intensity is used. A balance must be struck: enough light to grow and visualize the bacteria, but not so much that it damages the organisms.

Scientific research can have the reputation of being rather dull and dry, full of lists of data and complex equations. This collaboration provides a window to the more exciting and colorful aspects of working in a research lab. “So often when we are looking through the microscope, we see something beautiful, but because we have a hypothesis to test or data to collect, we don’t spend time capturing these aesthetically pleasing images, and instead we focus on specific regions. This project provided opportunities to visualize the amazing microscopic world without those constraints,” said Johnson.

As a research scientist, it is these observations that spark curiosity and motivate further investigation. Often, this excitement is not captured in scientific articles and remains the exclusive domain of those working in the lab. This project bridges that gap and provides a fantastic opportunity for a wider audience to gain a glimpse of the beauty and wonder of performing scientific research.

When the teams first embarked on this project, they expected to be able to wrap things up within a year, but the synergy of the work has changed that, prompting both teams to grow and expand the scope of this project. Generating the films and images challenged the Cameron group to develop their protocols to capture longer time-lapse films, while Erin’s team underestimated the possibilities in exploring this microscopic world.

“The potential for the footage is limitless, and it is constantly changing,” said Espelie.

The REFRESH Exhibit, a collaboration between RASEI Fellow Jeff Cameron and NEST Studio's Erin Espelie highlights work at the intersection of art and science

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