Research Positions for Undergraduates, Fall term 2012
The Bommarius lab seeks undergraduate students interested in challenging research!
The Bommarius laboratory (ChBE, CHEM, Bioengineering) specializes in biocatalysis, green
chemistry, protein stability, and biochemical engineering. We seek self-motivated, hard-working
student researchers interested to continue for a doctoral degree, preferentially a PhD, after
college, to work on cutting-edge research problems and to learn new skills.
Eligibility:
i) graduation date (B.S.) between 05/13 and 05/15 in BIOL, BMED, CEE, ChBE, or CHEM
ii) GPA at Georgia Tech > 3.30, preferably > 3.5
iii) basic laboratory skills, enthusiasm, self-motivation, flexibility, independence
iv) start in Fall 2012 for credit, continuation during 2013 possible and expected
Interested?: Please email resume (incl. i) major, ii) GPA, and iii) expected graduation date) to
mentor and to Prof. Andreas S. Bommarius (andreas.bommarius@chbe.gatech.edu).
Interviews with mentor: any time; feedback: less than 1 day later; decision asap after
agreement among student, mentor, and faculty advisor
We have a position available on the following projects:
1. Deep eutectic solvents for the pretreatment of cellulose
Cellulose is the most abundant biomaterial known and is considered a key target for replacement of fossil
fuels. Due to its partially crystalline nature, cellulose is not soluble in water or most organic liquids.
Eutectic mixtures of salts sometimes melt below room temperature. We will investigate the solubility and
structure (crystallinity) of cellulose in such liquids.
The student will learn to compose and identify a eutectic medium, measure and interpret
crystallinity of cellulose, and to employ cellulose and lignocellulosic materials. Key experiments will
involve testing renewable materials as components of the eutectic system, testing cellulose crystallinity
via X-ray diffractometry, and measuring hydrolysis to oligosaccharides. The work will require some
knowledge of physical chemistry.
Mentors: Yuzhi Kang (ykang41@gatech.edu) and Dr. Min Jeong Sohn (msohn8@mail.gatech.edu)
2. Kinetics of enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis
Lignocellulosics are of great significance as biofuel feedstock due to their abundance and low cost. The
purpose of this research is to evaluate the effects of steam explosion and the feasibility of utilizing steamexploded
agricultural residues as fuel feedstock. The research focuses on the hydrolyzability, reactivity,
and kinetic study of lignocellulosic biomass such as steam-exploded bagasse and wheat straw.
The student will learn techniques of protein purification and handling, of measuring and
interpreting adsorption and enzyme kinetic data, and of employing lignocellulosic materials. Key
experiments will involve measuring adsorption of cellulase on cellulose surfaces and exploring and
confirming enzymatic activity. The work will require knowledge of organic chemistry and kinetics.
Mentor: Yuzhi Kang (ykang41@gatech.edu)
3. Redesign of formate dehydrogenase via protein engineering
Formate dehydrogenase (FDH) catalyzes the oxidation of formate, an inexpensive reductant (“H2 +
CO2”), to CO2 under concomitant oxidation of a biological cofactor, NADH or NADPH. FDH is
extremely useful in complementing other dehydrogenases that catalyze the synthesis of active
pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
We have started to design a totally novel FDH from scratch that incorporates all knowledge about
enhancing activity and stability accumulated over many years. We have found that our newly designed
protein shows activity but now need much further characterization work.
The student will learn protein expression and purification techniques along with assays to explore
and confirm enzymatic activity using state-of-the-art technologies in protein engineering such as Akta
explorer for protein purification, gas chromatography, circular dichroism, and mutational library
construction. The work will require knowledge of organic chemistry, biochemistry, and kinetics.
Mentors: Dr. Bettina Bommarius (bettina.bommarius@chbe.gatech.edu) and Samantha Au
(sau3@gatech.edu)
4. Prebiotic sugar synthesis: carbene-catalyzed formaldehyde condensation to dihydroxyacetone
Formaldehyde is a simple single carbon molecule and both an important building block for the
chemical industry as well as the most likely prebiotic precursor of sugars. The purpose of this research is
to test multiple carbene precursor catalysts for their ability to convert formaldehyde to the triose sugar
dihydroxyacetone. Dihydroxyacetone will then be used as a reagent for further bond-forming reactions.
The student’s research project will focus on optimizing conversion and selectivity using temperature
and concentration as the major variables studied. Some background in synthesis would be helpful.
Chemical purification techniques such as crystallization and extraction will be learned as well as
identification using HPLC-MS and NMR.
Mentor: Ryan Clairmont (ryan.clairmont@gatech.edu)
