In a recently published story, the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences highlighted the public health impact of more than a decade of NIH funded research in the Ghosh laboratory.  The technology development is a result of multiple research projects over the years that explored fundamental processes involved in controlling exposure of toxic pollutants to aquatic organisms and humans. An innovative technology, developed with funding from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), successfully delivers amendments that immobilize and degrade polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aquatic environments. The technology has proven effective in the field and resulted in millions of dollars in estimated cost savings at cleanup sites.

Read the whole story: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/centers/srp/phi/archives/remediation/sedimite/index.cfm

Dipanjan Pan, professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, has received two new grants from the National Institutes of Health to support research poised to improve COVID-19 testing. 

Pan and his team recently developed an experimental diagnostic test to rapidly detect the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19, potentially as early as the first day of infection. The test shows results visually, through a color change visible with the naked eye when the virus is present. Their preliminary results were published in the journal ACS Nano, and the biosensors behind this work have generated substantial academic and commercial interest.

Pan received funding from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) to support the development of a mediated colorimetric biosensor. This technology greatly reduces the possibility of misinterpreting the results of COVID-19 sensing tests. 

“These awards are very timely. Two back-to-back grants from NIBIB will help me to further develop and optimize the technology and help cover the cost for conducting a clinical study for validation purposes,” says Pan. “The key here is the fine balance between the accuracy of the results and the ability of the testing platform to provide a rapid response.” 

The second grant will support Pan’s work to develop a COVID-19 diagnostic platform that will work like a home-based glucometer. Currently, with limitations in sample collection and transportation, it often takes several days for patients to receive their COVID-19 test results. The delay between when the test is taken and when the results are available can lead to the continued spread of the virus. 

To reduce the time between when a person takes a COVID-19 test and receives their results, Pan will develop a test that includes an electrochemical biosensor that can detect the virus in about 3 minutes. If patients can receive their results within minutes of taking the test, Pan notes, they can quickly self-isolate and avoid exposing others to the virus.

Pan explains that the test will limit the possibility for inaccurate results. “We adopted a molecularly targeted approach to detect RNA from the virus. Since every living organism has unique RNA, targeting a distinctive genetic material of COVID-19 causative virus SARS-CoV-2 ensures remarkable accuracy and specificity,” he says.

In addition to his appointment at UMBC, Pan is a professor of diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine and pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine as part of his dual appointment with the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Ouriel Ndalamba is a Sophomore Chemical Engineering major. She is a CWIT Scholar, member of the Honors College, a summer LSAMP participant, and a URA Scholar.

Title of your research project: 

Dissolved carbon dioxide flotation for nutrient extraction and recovery from poultry litter.

Land application of poultry litter and other agricultural wastes by farmers causes nutrient runoff into water bodies and creates dead zones, which negatively impact water quality and aquatic life. My research aims to develop a new technology to effectively remove and recover the nutrients in poultry litter and agricultural waste to not only protect the environment, but also generate valuable fertilizers and soil amendments that can be sold to offset operating costs.

My mentors are Dr. Lee Blaney and Michael Fleming in the Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering (CBEE). I was introduced to Dr. Blaney by Dr. Miller and Dr. Wagner as I expressed an interest in engineering after I graduated high school. In the lab, I work alongside Michael Fleming, a graduate student. I asked Dr. Blaney to mentor me for this project, because I am interested in solving water pollution problems. 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

MAY 18, 2020 11:30 AM

SARAH HANSEN

Damond worked with Jennie Leach, an associate professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering (CBEE), and a member of UMBC’s 4th ADVANCE cohort.

[READ MORE]

 

Bone as a functional material could experience various stresses that could lead to microdamages. In article number 1904936, Dipanjan Pan and co‐workers show that targeted hafnia nanoparticles and photon counting spectral computed tomography can detect microdamages. This advanced technology could determine signals from hafnia nanoparticles bound to the hard tissue of bone both in the ex vivo model and in vivo.

Seeking self-motivated hard-working undergraduates to work at a translational nanomedicine research group at UMBC.

The Pan group is a diverse, multidisciplinary research team (The Laboratory of Materials in Medicine) with over hundreds of high impact factor highly cited publications in JACS, PNAS, ACS Nano, Advanced Functional Materials etc. and brings long-standing experience in innovation and entrepreneurship. Our group just moved from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign to the University of Maryland Baltimore County and University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine. With a clear focus on translating research ideas from bench to bedside, Pan group uniquely merges ‘molecule making’ with ‘device making’ for areas molecular imaging, drug delivery and biosensing.

The group is looking for motivated undergrads majoring in either Chemical engineering, Chemistry, Biology or Biochemistry to work with us at the ILSB from the Spring Semester. His/her projects would involve synthetic chemistry, analytical techniques for characterization, developing skills in animal cell culture and an introductory experimental lesson in the workings of electrical engineering for biosensor development. The student will develop an understanding of these projects and general lab skills as well as gain an opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary laboratory which would be beneficial for their future in either academics or the industrial domain. Depending on the nature of the work, the undergrad may also receive an opportunity to work in Prof. Pan’s other laboratory at the downtown UMB, Health Sciences Facilities III.

Interested candidates must apply with their CV and a letter of purpose to Prof. Pan (dipanjan@umbc.edu) and Dr. Priyanka Ray (priyanka@umbc.edu) by January 31, 2020.

It’s 3 a.m., and Cindy Chelius rolls out of the pull-out couch in the grad student lounge. Time to check on her fungi. For this experiment, measurements must be taken every four hours for forty hours. Thankfully, the undergraduates she mentors took the day shift. Tonight, as the lead on the project, it’s her turn.

“I think it just makes you feel like you really earned it when those results come back,” Chelius says. She has earned it—on December 18, she’ll walk across the stage to receive her Ph.D. in chemical and biochemical engineering from UMBC. The signaling pathways of fungi might seem like niche research, but fungal species are commonly used in industry as tiny, living factories. They can produce substances found in an array of products, including medications.

Photo: Cindy Chelius, Ph.D. ’19 (third from left) with her advisor Mark Marten (far left) and the rest of their lab group.  Photo Credit: Melissa Penley Cormier 

● No previous research experience required.

● Must be able to work an average of 10 h/wk.

● Students in 1st /2nd year at preferred.

● Very flexible hours.

● Demonstrated leadership experience a plus.

● Learn about an exciting area of cutting-edge science.

● Help solve real and important scientific problems.

● Gain tremendously valuable experience in critical thinking and problem solving.

● Applications in the bioprocess industry to make medicine, enzymes and commodity chemicals.

● Lots of detail on our website. Use the link below and go to the

Research tab to learn more.

Dr. Ghosh has been using new sampling techniques to detect PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in the Anacostia and Back Rivers. He has also developed SediMite (pictured below), a form of activated carbon which captures PCBs that might otherwise dissolve back into waterways. His work may help lessen the levels of toxic chemicals built up in Chesapeake Bay fish.