CAREER:Tethered biofilm dispersal signals for long-term protection of engineering materials

细菌附着在表面上，被称为生物膜，在医疗保健、环境工程、化学工程和食品制备等领域会导致负面后果。本CAREER项目的研究重点是设计一种新型的合成生物膜破坏分子结合在表面的材料。本研究将探讨系留生物膜抑制剂附着在表面时是否对细菌有活性，以及这些分子在不同环境条件下如何从表面释放出来。然后将为工程中使用的不同类型的表面（包括金属、聚合物和陶瓷）设计系绳策略的应用。这些工程表面对哺乳动物细胞生存能力的影响也将被确定。这个跨学科的项目将邀请来自不同科学和工程领域的学生通过合作研究进行创新。本科生、研究生和社区学院的学生将接受针对不同受众的有效沟通策略的培训，以克服对公开演讲的恐惧，这种恐惧可能会限制学生进入理工科的深造阶段。互动活动旨在吸引初高中学生，促进在科学和工程职业中代表性不足和社会经济上处于不利地位的群体的进步。本研究的目的是设计控制细菌生物膜的生物材料。为了实现这一目标，破坏生物膜的合成环丙烷脂肪酸将通过共价键、疏水相互作用或点击化学偶联的不同构型结合到材料表面。该研究计划将表征表面键合的类型、表面能和表面拴系分子的可切割性。材料表征之后将评估其抑制和分散不同类型细菌生物膜的活性，以及与哺乳动物细胞的细胞相容性。生物活性、释放和制造的评估旨在回答三个首要的研究问题：1)表面结合的信号因子能否以与自由扩散因子相同的方式激活生物膜抑制和分散？2)在细菌酶的存在下，酯结合信号分子的释放是否增加？3)活性信号因子能否与多种生物材料结合？项目研究将通过培训提高科学传播对更广泛受众的影响和有效性，支持跨学科学生进入专业STEM角色。内向和害怕公开演讲在STEM领域的学生中很常见，这可能是科学领域代表性不足和社会经济弱势群体的一个特别障碍。因此，这项建议的主要教育任务包括通过开设新的课程和在学生专业组织举办讲习班，进行主张-证据陈述风格的培训。基础科学的有效沟通将促进初中、高中和社区大学学生对STEM专业的自我效能感和兴趣。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-Technical summaryBacterial attachment to surfaces, known as biofilm, can lead to negative consequences in the fields of healthcare, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, and food preparation, among others. The research focus of this CAREER project is to design materials with a novel synthetic biofilm-disrupting molecule bound to the surface. This research will explore whether tethered biofilm inhibitors are active against bacteria while attached to the surface and how these molecules are released from the surface under different environmental conditions. Application of tethering strategies will then be designed for different types of surfaces used in engineering, including metals, polymers, and ceramics. Effects of these engineered surfaces on viability of mammalian cells will also be determined. This interdisciplinary project will invite students from different science and engineering fields to innovate through collaborative research. Students at the undergraduate, graduate, and community-college level will be trained in effective communication strategies for different audiences in order to overcome fear of public speaking that might limit progression of students into advanced studies in science and engineering. Interactive activities will be designed to engage students at the middle school and high school levels, promoting advancement of underrepresented and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in science and engineering careers.Technical summaryThe goal of this research is to design biomaterials that control bacterial biofilm. Toward this goal, a biofilm-disrupting synthetic cyclopropanated fatty acid will be bound to material surfaces through different configurations using covalent linkages, hydrophobic interactions, or click-chemistry conjugation. This research plan will characterize the type of bonding at the surface, surface energy, and cleavability of the surface-tethered molecules. Material characterization will be followed by assessment of activity to inhibit and disperse different types of bacterial biofilm, as well as cytocompatibility with mammalian cells. Evaluations of bioactivity, release, and fabrication are designed to answer three overarching research questions: 1) can surface-bound signaling factors activate biofilm inhibition and dispersion in the same manner as freely diffusible factors?, 2) is release of ester-bound signaling molecules increased in the presence of bacterial enzymes?, and 3) can active signaling factors be bound to multiple types of biomaterials? Project research will support advancement of students across disciplines into professional STEM roles through training to increase the impact and effectiveness of science communication to broader audiences. Introversion and fear of public speaking are common among students in STEM fields, which may be a particular barrier for underrepresented and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in science. Therefore, the primary educational task of this proposal consists of training in the assertion-evidence presentation style through a new course offering and workshops at student professional organizations. Effective communication of fundamental science will promote self-efficacy and interest of students at the middle school, high school, and community college levels in STEM professions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.