DCL: HBCU:EAGER- Study of Biological Interaction between Fungal Cells and Electrospun Nanofibrous Platform

DCL;近年来，电纺丝纳米纤维在商业产品中的应用呈指数级增长。电纺丝纳米纤维在空气过滤、液体过滤、高性能服装、药物输送、组织工程支架、电池隔膜等领域有着广泛的应用。静电纺纳米纤维已经（并将继续）通过相应的商业产品以纳米纤维垫的形式暴露在我们的环境中，不可避免地会接触到环境中的微生物，包括真菌。然而，人们对静电纺纳米纤维垫与真菌细胞之间的生物相互作用知之甚少。该研究项目将提供真菌细胞与静电纺纳米纤维垫之间的详细相互作用信息，使公众了解静电纺纳米纤维的用途及其对环境微生物的影响。决策者也可以利用这些信息来规范电子纺纳米纤维在消费产品中的整合。本研究的目的是通过细胞形态、细胞数量和细胞代谢活性来探索模型真菌细胞（酵母）在静电纺聚丙烯腈纳米纤维垫（以及其他静电纺纳米纤维垫）上的生存能力和生长行为。结果将与微纤维和薄膜的结果进行比较。该项目将通过研究静电纺纳米纤维垫的化学结构、尺寸、表面粗糙度、层次结构等因素对真菌细胞与静电纺纳米纤维材料相互作用的影响，为研究真菌细胞与静电纺纳米纤维材料之间的相互作用提供新的知识。该研究结果有助于理解生物相互作用的机制，并揭示了一种不整合任何抗真菌药物或官能基团，通过简单的物理接触实现抗真菌功能的全新途径。所获得的知识将填补一个很大程度上未知的研究领域，并进一步转化为其他纳米材料具有相似的结构，尺寸，和/或形态的电纺纳米纤维材料。

DCL; HBCU EAGER: Structural and functional characterization of proteins associated with silver nanoparticle resistant Escherichia coliIn recent years, integration of electrospun nanofibers in commercial products has been growing exponentially. Electrospun nanofibers have been found in a number of applications such as air filtration, liquid filtration, performance apparel, drug delivery, scaffold for tissue engineering, battery separators and etc. The electrospun nanofibers are already exposed (and will continue being exposed) to our environment through corresponding commercial products in the form of nano fibrous mat. Inevitably, they will be in contact with microorganisms in environment, including fungi. However, little is known about biological interaction between electrospun nanofibrous mat and fungal cells. Detailed interaction information between fungal cells and electrospun nanofibrous mat from this research project will create public awareness about electrospun nanofibers' uses and their impact on environmental microorganism. Policy makers can also make use of the information to regulate the integration of electrospun nanofibers in consumer products.The objective of this research is to explore viability and growth behavior of a model fungal cell (yeast) on electrospun polyacrylonitrile nano fibrous mat (as well as other electrospun nano fibrous mats) by cell morphology, cell number, and cell metabolic activity. The results will be compared with those from microfibrous and film counterparts. The project will provide new knowledge regarding interaction between fungal cells and electrospun nanofibrous materials by investigating the effect of chemical structure, size, surface roughness, hierarchical structure of the electrospun nanofibrous mats. The research outcomes can aid in understanding the mechanism of the biological interaction and disclose a brand-new way to realize antifungal functionality by simple physical contact without integrating any antifungal drugs or functional groups. The acquired knowledge will fill in a largely unknown research field and further translate to other nano materials that have similar structure, dimension, and/or morphology as electrospun nanofibrous materials.