Life in the fast lane.

It was pointed out to me that I am quickly approaching the end of my first year as a graduate student. That to me is a rather scary proposal.

quick disjointed update

So what’s new in the life of Neil? Well as you know I am trying to create the next big thing in batteries. But this has been side tracked by a project for which I am well suited. I am studying how bacteria and mamilian cells stick to glass and other surfaces. This is of interest to the public because with this knowledge we can hopefully create surfaces on things like knee implants which your body cells would want to stick to but to which bacteria would not be able to stick. Did you know that millions of people each year have infections from getting an implant and that 60% of those infections cannot be treated by antibiotics alone? I spoke with a man who had to have his hip replaced 7 times due to infections.

Anyway this Friday I am going to be in Utah for a weekend. The national convention of the American Chemical Society is in SLC and I get to present at it. I am going to have to be at the conference during the day but will be able to be with Michelle and the kids at night. Then just a couple more months until they are here in Lincoln with me.

Michelle was out here a couple of weeks ago and interviewed at several of the schools for a teaching position. We have our fingers crossed that she will have an offer before she moves out here.

 

These are not for the gerneral public and are not free to take and use as your own.

I know these are not up to publication standards (out of focus) but they are the images Vivi used to win her science fair. I am only posting these butterfly wing electron micrographs so that the people who have heard about her project can see what we're all amazed at. 

Zooming in. Vivi wanted color normally these would all be black and white. 

30 times blown up

500 times blown up
3000 times blown up
10,000 times blown up

Just an essay I am writing for a fellowship. I thought you might enjoy it. Very rough draft.

My career goal is to improve the life of those around me through the advancement of scientific knowledge. I have chosen to study smart bioceramics.  Bioceramics are ceramic materials which can be implanted into the body usually as a replacement for hard tissue. Smart bioceramics have been modified through chemistry and engineering to increase the compatibility of human cells and to decrease the ability of microbes to form biofilms.

Biofilm related infections add over one billion dollars per year to hospitalization costs. A microbe in a biofilm is 50 to 500 times more resistant to antibiotics as its free living counterpart. More than half a million people in the U.S. die due to biofilm related infections annually.

Through nanochemistry we can adjust the roughness, the electrochemistry, and other surface properties in order to achieve our goals. The ability to design bioceramics as coatings which can assist the adhesion of mammalian cells and deter the adhesion of biofilms will have a great impact on society. This will ultimately lead to theranostic devices which can accurately identity a pathogen and then create and release a combative drug in a monitorable way.

Through the research which I began less than 2 months ago we have already identified some of the factors which affect initial bacterial adhesion. Receipt of the Milton E. Mohr fellowship will help me to continue my research.