User:GMcArthurIV/Research: Difference between revisions

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George H. McArthur IV, Ph.D. student,  Virginia Commonwealth University<br>
Research Projects<br>
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<li>[[User:GMcArthurIV| Home]]</li>
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<li id="current">[[User:GMcArthurIV/Research | Research]]</li>
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<li>[[User:GMcArthurIV/Courses | Courses]]</li>
<li>[[User:GMcArthurIV/iGEM | iGEM]]</li>
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==Microbial Cellular Engineering==
[[Image:McArthur_work.JPG|thumb|left|Microalgae]]
The conversion of lignocellulosic raw materials to molecules suitable for liquid transportation fuel can be acheived via microbial metabolism.  However, this does not usually occur naturally in a single microorganism nor does it occur efficiently.  Therefore, novel metabolism must be developed to realize the desired chemical transformation.  [http://syntheticbiology.org/ Synthetic biology] (specifically, synthetic genomics) offers an approach to truly engineering metabolic, regulatory and signaling pathways by providing well-characterized genetic modules (e.g., like those found in the [http://bioparts.org Registry of Standard Biological Parts]) that can be interchanged and composed into larger, more complex systems.  Eventually, whole-cell systems may be engineered to function or behave in a predicted manner (e.g., economically viable production of fuel from inexpensive biomass).
==Research in Microbial Engineering==
====Thermophile Synthetic Biology====
My research goals convolve fundamental molecular biology and microbial engineering.  I build novel biological systems in order to elucidate biological design principles, which is useful for understanding natural biology (e.g., gene expression, adaptive evolution) and for learning how to engineer biology for purpose-driven applications (e.g., drug synthesis, controlled biogeochemistry).  Broadly speaking, this research is enabled by advances in synthetic and systems biology.  In particular, I am interested in building synthetic metabolic pathways and artificial gene networks for 1) optimizing the production of valuable chemicals and 2) learning how to begin to design entire genomes.
Thermostable enzymes and thermophilic microbes are useful in bioprocessing...
====Microalgal Metabolic Engineering====
Microalgae rule.
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==Biochemical Process Engineering==
Although engineered microorganisms may synthesize the desired product or products, separation processes are necessary for purification.  In addition, the bioreactor in which the microbes are grown must be optimized for the particular process and the substrate must be appropriately treated upstream of the bioreactor.  This work is focused on the development of an optimal bioreactor for the growth of the platform organism and the production of the desired product.  In addition, a novel extraction system is being developed for the facile separation of product from culture broth.
 
==Synthetic Biology Education==
I am the founder of the [http://www.seas.virginia.edu/VGEM Virginia Genetically Engineered Machine Team], a synthetic biology research group of undergraduate students at the University of Virginia, which competes in MIT's [http://www.igem.org international Genetically Engineered Machines competition].  In 2007, I directed the [http://parts.mit.edu/igem07/index.php/Virginia inaugural VGEM Team].  I served as an advisor to the [http://2008.igem.org/Team:Virginia 2008 VGEM Team] and directed the first [[CHE.496/2008| introductory synthetic biology course at UVA]], which I created as part of my undergraduate thesis.  Hopefully, I'll be able to establish a similar team here at VCU.
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Revision as of 14:13, 27 August 2011

Research Projects

Research Teaching



Microalgae

Research in Microbial Engineering

My research goals convolve fundamental molecular biology and microbial engineering. I build novel biological systems in order to elucidate biological design principles, which is useful for understanding natural biology (e.g., gene expression, adaptive evolution) and for learning how to engineer biology for purpose-driven applications (e.g., drug synthesis, controlled biogeochemistry). Broadly speaking, this research is enabled by advances in synthetic and systems biology. In particular, I am interested in building synthetic metabolic pathways and artificial gene networks for 1) optimizing the production of valuable chemicals and 2) learning how to begin to design entire genomes.

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