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Invited Talk: Nanoparticle Toxicity Assessment in a Bacterial Model

Engineered nanoparticles are found in many everyday products and hold great potential as therapeutic agents. Accordingly, it is critical to consider how engineered nanoparticles interact with physiological and ecological systems. This work focuses on functional assessment of bacterial cell behavior following exposure to Au, nanodiamond, and semiconductor nanoparticles. Functional considerations include biofilm formation, cell delivery of chemical messengers, production of reactive oxygen species, and gene expression, among others. In this new collaborative study, obtained bacterial toxicity results can be compared to those o btained in other model systems (lipid bilayers and the multicellular water flea, Daphnia) to identify common modes of nanoparticle interactions and the resultant effects. The goal of this work is to discover critical nanoparticle features that determine… Read More »Invited Talk: Nanoparticle Toxicity Assessment in a Bacterial Model

CSN at Gordon Research Conference on Environmental Nanotechnology

Scientists from the CSN were invited to give talks and present research posters at the Gordon Research Conference on Environmental Nanotechnology in Stowe, Vermont on June 2-7.  Posters Presented by CSN Scientists Title: Fluorescent Nanodiamond as an Inert Tracer for Environmental and Biological Studies Author: Robert Hamers, Chang-Soo Lee, Marco Torelli, Joel Pedersen, Galya Orr, and Franz Geiger Title: Interactions of Funtionalized-Gold Nanoparticles with Supported Lipid Bilayers Author: Thomas Kuech, Stephanie R. Walter, Sam E. Lohse, Julianne Troiano, Catherine J. Murphy, Franz M. Geiger, Robert J. Hamers, and Joel A. Pedersen Invited Talks By CSN Scientists Title: "Tying molecular-level interactions of nanomaterials and organism to population impacts" Speaker: Rebecca Klaper    For more information, visit the website for the Gordon Research Conferences through this Link.

CSN Scientist Stephanie Walter of Northwestern University successfully defends her PhD thesis!

Stephanie's thesis focused on understanding the surface chemistry of functional materials and biointerfaces using nonlinear optics, such that knowledge gained at the molecular level can contribute to future efforts to design and control the properties of new materials for improved performances.   More specifically, her work determined: How molecular ordering influences device performance in organic electronics. How metal binding interactions with DNA-functionalized surfaces impact molecular structure and biorecognition events in model biosensors. What drives nanomaterial interactions with biointerfaces to better design nanomaterials that are safe and sustainable. Stephanie will be continuing on as a postdoctoral researcher with Professor David Walt at Tufts University! Congratulations Stephanie!  

CSN Scientists develop new benchtop reactor for nanoparticles

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In a paper just published in ACS Nano, CSN researchers Sam Lohse and his mentor, Catherine Murphy, describe a new benchtop reactor system that can be used for high-throughput functionalization of nanoparticles with different sizes and shapes.  In initial tests the reactor has been used to make gram-scale quantities of gold nanospheres and nano-rods in a highly reproducile, automated manner.  The reactor design should also be applicable to other types of metallic nanoparticles such as silver and copper.  The reactor enables synthesis of large batches of identically functionalized nanoparticles that can then be distributed to other researchers. The new work will enable scientists to replicate one another's work and will enhance our ability to understand how nanoparticles interact with the environment. More information about… Read More »CSN Scientists develop new benchtop reactor for nanoparticles

CSN at the Engineering Expo!

We have developed an educational activity centered around our fluorescent nanodiamonds! Madison-based CSN scientists will be assisting schoolchildren and the general public with this activity at this year's Engineering Expo in Madison, WI Thursday, Friday, and Saturday April 18-20. Can't make it to Madison? Stay tuned on our blog, sustainable-nano.com, for an upcoming post where you can see the activity!

CSN on Minnesota Public Radio

Minnesota Public Radio has just published an article about our nanotechnology and the environment featuring interviews with Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology Investigator Christy Haynes and Center Director Bob Hamers. You can hear the interviews with Christy and Bob by going directly to the audio below and/or the text of the article.

Franz Geiger is elected a Fellow of the AAAS

Congratulations to Franz Geiger for being elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. Franz is being honored for his distinguished contributions to unraveling important yet previously unidentified molecular aspects of environmental interfaces, including atmospheric aerosols and geochemical surfaces, using non-linear, laser-based spectroscopy. Franz and the other new AAAS Fellows will be honored Feb. 16 at the 2013 AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston.

Christy Haynes awarded New Orleans Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry Award

Congratulations to Christy Haynes on being awarded the New Orleans Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry Lecture!  Christy was one of 13 candidates submitted by 9 divisions and was nominated by the Analytical Division of the ACS.  Christy will deliver her award lecture, "Biological and ecological toxicity of engineered nanomaterials" at the American Chemical Society National Meeting on April 8, 2013.