NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2009

这一行动为2009财年国家科学基金会少数民族博士后研究奖学金提供资金，并根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金。该奖学金支持在东道主实验室为该研究员制定的研究和培训计划，该研究员还提出了扩大生物学参与度的计划。该奖学金的研究和培训计划的标题是“研究使用模仿棘皮动物皮肤的工程表面促进细菌黏附的因素”。这项研究将在乔安娜·艾森伯格博士的赞助下在哈佛大学进行。细菌生物膜--覆盖在表面的薄薄的活细胞--在环境中随处可见。细菌最初附着在表面是生物膜形成的关键阶段。然而，许多生物，如海星，其表面自然可以防止生物污垢。目前尚不清楚表面的哪种化学、物理或机械性能在促进或防止细菌黏附方面起关键作用。生物膜的稳健性和突发性可能是多种因素共同作用的结果。该项目使用工程技术(例如，新型仿生纳米结构表面)，模拟棘皮动物皮肤并提供多种刺激，以确定表面的电、化学、物理和机械特性对细菌黏附的相互作用。这项研究将同时增加对多细胞进化的理解，并将应用于防止生物污损。一个预期的结果是开发出防止生物膜形成的材料，适用于包括健康、食品和航运在内的几个行业。培训计划包括材料科学、纳米技术和微生物学方面的理论和技术培训。这一奖学金增加了博士后和本科生水平上代表不足的群体的参与。

This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2009 and is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Elisa Maldonado is "Investigating the factors that promote bacterial adhesion using engineered surfaces that mimic echinoderm skin." This research will be conducted at Harvard University under the sponsorship of Dr. Joanna Aizenberg.Bacterial biofilms - thin layers of living cells that coat surfaces - are everywhere in the environment. The initial attachment of bacteria to a surface is a critical stage in biofilm development. However, many organisms such as starfish have surfaces that naturally prevent biofouling. It remains unclear which of the chemical, physical, or mechanical properties of a surface is critical in promoting or preventing bacterial adhesion. It may be that a combination of factors is responsible for the robustness and emergent properties of biofilms. This project is using engineering technology (e.g., novel biomimetic, nanostructured surfaces) that mimic echinoderm skin and present multiple stimuli to determine the interaction of electrical, chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of a surface on bacterial adhesion. This research will simultaneously add to an understanding of the evolution of multicellularity and have applications to the prevention of biofouling. An expected outcome is the development of materials that prevent biofilm formation, applicable to several industries including health, food, and shipping. Training plans include theoretical and technical training in materials science, nanotechnology, and microbiology. This fellowship increases the participation of underrepresented groups at the postdoctoral and undergraduate level.