BRIGE awards maintain global competitiveness by increasing the diversity of ENG researchers, who are initiating research programs early in their careers. BRIGE awards further the broaden participation of engineering researchers by increasing the number of engineering graduates, by improving the representation of women and minorities in engineering, and by understanding how to improve recruitment and retention of engineering students.
This BRIGE award will investigate the controlling of interactions between building blocks and their assemblies leading to the creation of functional materials, especially at small length scales. Developments of asymmetric colloidal particles have largely demonstrated proof-of-principle concepts with a relative lack of novel functionality. The PI seeks to control the introduction of both anisotropy and functionality by use of protein engineering. The model system to be studied is the filamentous bacteriophage, whose surface features can be precisely altered by modifying spatially and chemically distinct capsid proteins. By introducing stimulus-responsive behavior in these semiflexible, rod-like particles, the researcher intends to incorporate elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) motifs of hydrophobic "guest" residues by recombinant DNA methods. The hypothesis to be studied is that modification of the major coat capsid protein would be amplified by the 2700 copies per particle, yielding stimulus-responsive colloids. Characterization of ELP-phage particles can be assessed by various microbiological assays, light scattering techniques, and calorimetry. As a first demonstration of utility of these responsive colloidal particles, control over binding by the "switching" behavior will be demonstrated. Further work will be accomplished through multiple scenarios using these materials and their responsive behavior.
The project is of a broad relevance to science and society by addressing fundamental questions relevant to technological applications. Development of colloidal systems with novel properties can potentially impact numerous fields in which colloids are used, such as paints, foods, aerosols, inks, and even biological fluids. Additionally, the PI plans to leverage his visible role as a member of an underrepresented group to actively recruit students and post-doctoral fellows from diverse populations. In partnership with the University of Massachusetts Graduate School and the Northeast Alliance, the PI is personally participating in recruiting of underrepresented groups at venues such as the Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Programs other graduate/professional school fairs. A second integrated objective is facilitating interdisciplinary research at the boundaries of chemistry, physics, and biology. The environment at the Polymer Science & Engineering department is ideally suited for such an endeavor given its longstanding history of educating students from diverse backgrounds. To this end, the PI will develop a new spring semester course entitled "From Biopolymers to Biological Colloids" covering physical and chemical aspects of these materials found both inside and outside the cell. The course will be open to interested graduate and upper-level undergraduate students from the University and the four nearby institutions that together, form the Five College system.
This BRIGE grant will broaden the participation of and increase opportunities for all engineers including those from groups underrepresented in the engineering disciplines. This BRIGE grant will also encourage the PI to become actively and competitively engaged in research as an independent investigator.
