Researchers investigate remarkable approach to desalination Bacteria as an environmental cleaning agent is based on the microorganisms ability to sense its environment, consume pollutants, break them down and excrete different, less-harmful substances than the original contaminant. But bacterias response mechanisms can do many other things such as provide scientifically discrete information, diagnose levels of toxins in food and water, detect poisonous chemicals, report dangerous compounds in the human body and more. Thats why Jose Onuchic and Herbert Levine, co-directors of Rices Center for Theoretical Biological Physics are working to treat bacteria like computers with the intention of reprograming them to perform specific activities. The researchers have a plan to modify the proteins responsible for how bacteria respond to external stimuli, triggering the bacteria to predictably decide what actions to take when confronted with targeted environmental conditions. Directed bacterial responses, the researchers believe, could revolutionize bacteria-based environmental CLEANUP, modern desalination and a host of medical and industrial applications. The project, Molecular Underpinnings of Bacterial Decision-Making is one of a number of high-risk, potentially high-reward projects in the National Science Foundations INSPIRE program. INSPIRE FUNDS potentially transformative research that does not fit into a single scientific field, but crosses disciplinary boundaries.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 03:48:30 +0000
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