A Gas Chromatograph to Study Metabolic Pathways for Biofuel and Bioproduct Development

在这份提案中，我申请资金购买一套自动气相色谱（GC）系统，这是我的研究项目必不可少的设备，目前在我们大学还没有。气相色谱是一种高度敏感的分析方法，用于将可汽化而不分解的有机化合物混合物分离成单个组分，以进行鉴定和定量。该仪器是我研究计划的核心，它涉及：1)保护脂质聚合物和蜡在植物细胞壁上的生物合成和沉积；这一知识对于提高对环境压力的抵抗力的工程植物，以及生产和积累商业上重要的脂肪酸和脂质的植物是至关重要的；2)适应矿山尾矿生境的微藻菌株油脂特性；这项研究的目的是利用在安大略省北部非生产土地上生长的微藻生产可再生燃料和天然保健产品。我选择了一个可靠的，强大的气相色谱系统，允许高通量分析脂肪酸甲酯，蜡，和其他小的有机化合物。该GC将使研究能够找到创新策略，以提高植物对生物和气候压力的抵抗力，开发基于化石燃料的资源的碳中性替代品，并从生物质中识别高价值的生物产品。所要求的工具将用于培训本科生、研究生和技术人员，他们将开发对加拿大新兴和优先经济部门有价值的关键技能。这种基础研究和应用研究的结合将导致农业、林业领域的创新，以及用于工业的新型脂质聚酯化合物的开发。请求的GC将允许我和我的团队加快我们的研究目标，加快我们在加拿大优先研究领域的出版能力，以及推进北安大略省的价值创新。

In this proposal, I request funds to purchase an automated gas chromatography (GC) system, a piece of equipment that is essential to my research program and is not presently available in our University. GC is a highly sensitive analytical method that is used to separate mixtures of organic compounds that can be vaporized without decomposition, into individual components for their identification and quantification. This instrument is central to my research program, which deals with: 1) the biosynthesis and deposition of protective lipid polymers and waxes on plant cell walls; this knowledge is fundamental to engineering plants with improved resistance to environmental stresses, as well as plants that produce and accumulate commercially important fatty acids and lipids; 2) the characterization of oil from microalgae strains adapted to mine tailings habitat; this study aims at producing renewable fuels and natural heath products in microalgae grown in non-productive lands within Northern Ontario. I have chosen a reliable, robust GC system that allows for high-throughput analyses of fatty acid methyl esters, waxes, and other small organic compounds. This GC will enable research to find innovative strategies to improve plant resistance to biotic and climatic stresses, to develop carbon-neutral substitutes for fossil fuel based resources, and to identify high-value bio-products from biomass. The requested instrument will be used for training of undergraduate students, graduate students, and technicians, who will develop critical skills of value to Canada's emerging and priority economic sectors. This combination of fundamental and applied research will lead to innovation in the fields of agriculture, forestry, and development of novel lipid polyester compounds for use in industry. The requested GC will allow me and my group to expedite our research goals, to accelerate our publication capacity in a priority research area for Canada, as well as to advance innovation of value to Northern Ontario.