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NSF Directorate for Engineering Division of Chemical, Bioengineering,

NSF Directorate for Engineering Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems ( CBET ) An Overview of the Chemical, Biochemical, and Biotechnology Systems Cluster. George J. Antos Program Director Catalysis & Biocatalysis Program Presented at the

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NSF Directorate for Engineering Division of Chemical, Bioengineering,

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  1. NSF Directorate for Engineering Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems(CBET) An Overview of the Chemical, Biochemical, and Biotechnology Systems Cluster George J. Antos Program Director Catalysis & Biocatalysis Program Presented at the AIChE 2011 Annual Meeting Minneapolis, Minnesota 17 October 2011 1

  2. National Science Foundation|Directorate for Engineering Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems Division(CBET) Deputy Division Director Bob Wellek Senior Advisor Marshall Lih Division Director John McGrath Chemical, Biochemical, & Biotechnology Systems Bioengineering and Engineering Healthcare Transport & Thermal Fluids Environmental Engineering & Sustainability Biotechnology, Biochemical, and Biomass Engrg – 1491 Theresa Good Biomedical Engineering - 5345 SemahatDemir/Kaiming Ye Energy for Sustainability - 7644 Ram Gupta/Geoff Prentice Combustion, Fire, & Plasma Systems - 1407 ArvindAtreya Catalysis and Biocatalysis – 1401 George Antos Biophotonics - 7236 Leon Esterowitz Environmental Engineering - 1440 Debra Reinhart/Geoff Prentice Fluid Dynamics - 1443 Henning Winter Chemical & Biological Separations - 1417 Rose Wesson Biosensing - 7909 Alex Simonian Environmental Health & Safety of Nanotechnology - 1179 Barbara Karn Interfacial Processes & Thermodynamics - 1414 Bob Wellek Process and Reaction Engineering - 1403 Maria Burka General & Age Related Disabilities Engrng - 5342 Ted Conway Environmental Sustainability - 7643 Bruce Hamilton Particulate & Multiphase Processes - 1415 Ashok Sangani 1406 – Thermal Transport Processes Sumanta Acharya 2 1 October 2011

  3. Traditional Disciplines in Chemical Engineering Biotechnology, Biochemical, and Biomass Engineering Program Director - Theresa Good tgood @ nsf.gov Catalysis and Biocatalysis Program Director - George Antos gantos @ nsf.gov Chemical and Biological Separations Program Director - Rosemarie D. Wesson rwesson @ nsf.gov Process and Reaction Engineering Program Director - Maria Burka mburka @ nsf.gov 3

  4. Clusteromics: FY 2011 Awards ~ $26.3 Million Description Total Proposals Received Unsolicited Awards CAREER EAGER GOALI Workshops/Conferences Supplements (REU, GRS, etc.) CGIs Other (Panel, Travel, etc.) # of Awards 903 59 17 19 11 21 46 38 - - - Total Dollars - - - $13,670,946 $ 4,269,431 $ 1,503,763 $ 1,513,782 $263,223 $812,573 $2,963,540 $1,467,421 4

  5. Biotechnology, Biochemical, and Biomass Engineering(BBBE)Program Supports: • Fundamental engineering research that advances the understanding of cellular and biomolecularprocesses and eventually leads to the development of enabling technologyand/or applications • in support of the biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, and bioenergy industries, or with applications in health or the environment. 5

  6. Biotechnology, Biochemical, and Biomass Engineering(BBBE)Program Emphasizes: • Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology • Tissue engineering and stem cell technologies • Protein engineering and design • Systems biology • Development of novel molecular level and “omics” tools in support of biotechnology 6

  7. Exploring tetracycline biosynthesis Yi Tang, University of California-Los Angeles, CBET- • 1. Biosynthetic pathway elucidation: • Identified two different biosynthetic routes to a similar tetracycline intermediate SAT KS AT PT ACP • Highlights • 3 producing organisms • 2 vastly different biosynthetic strategies • 2 therapeutic areas • Novel tailoring enzymes discovered • Novel analogs produced Bacterial type II PKS Fungal iterative type I PKS Single multifunctional polypeptide chain Set of discrete enzymes KS CLF ACP + additional tailoring enzymes + additional tailoring enzymes • Identify/characterize unique tailoring enzymes which differentiate final structures Oxidoreductases Aminotransferase Methyltransferase Oxidoreductases Prenyltransferase Cyclase Acyltransferases Glycosyltransferase Oxidoreductases Methyltransferases Oxytetracycline Streptomyces rimosus Broad-spectrum antibiotic Viridicatumtoxin Penicillium aethopicum Broad-spectrum antibiotic • 2. Engineered biosynthesis of novel tetracyclines • Combinatorial Biosynthesis • Mutasynthesis • Protein Engineering Isolate and evaluate novel compounds SF2575 Streptomyces sp. SF2575 Anticancer 7 Example of possible hybrid compound

  8. Transcriptional Control of Alkaloid Biosynthesis in C. roseus culturesCarolyn Lee-Parsons & Erin Cram, Northeastern Univ CBET-1033889 Research Vision: The C. roseus plant produces highly-valued pharmaceuticals, including the anti-cancer drugs vincristine & vinblastine. The high cost and need for these drugs motivate our research to better understand their biosynthesis & ultimately over-produce these compounds using C. roseus cultures. • Research Goals: • To investigate & refine a proposed modelfor the transcriptional regulation of alkaloid biosynthesis using: 1) transgenic cultures & 2) molecular biology tools. • To design effective engineering strategies for overcoming innate blocks to alkaloid biosynthesis based on the model. 8

  9. Engineering Cells to Prevent Spore Formation for Better Biofuel Production Eleftherios Papoutsakis,University of Delaware CBET-0853490 Scanning (L) and transmission (R) electron microphotographs of clostridia cells showing sporulating cells. Such cell morphologies are undesirable as they reduce the productivity of the process. In the past, it was assumed that spore formation by Clostridia was necessary for production of the precursors for biofuels. However, when cells form spores (a metabolically less active structure resistant to harsh environments), sporulation hinders the use of advance bioprocessing technologies . The technologies developed in this project enable researchers to prevent spore formation without hindering biofuel production, thus enhancing opportunities to use this organism in biofuel and biochemical production. 9

  10. Novel device development to probe chemotaxis Cynthia Reinhart-King, Cornell University CBET 1055502 APPROACH Analyze molecular-level differences of cell sub-populations Expose endothelial cells to a chemotactic gradient Select for cells based on chemotactic ability DEVICE Top View Side View Microfluidic chemotaxis device. Gradients are created based on the diffusion of a chemoattractant from the source to the sink channels through a porous agarose scaffold. Fluorescent images of a FITC-dextran gradient in the microfluidic device. 10

  11. Process & Reaction EngineeringProgram Overview Program supports research and educational projects related to: 1. Interactions between chemical reactions and transport phenomena in reactive systems, and the use of this information in the design of complex chemical and biochemical reactors (Reaction Engineering) a. Reactive processing of polymers, ceramics, and thin films b. Electrochemical and photochemical processes of engineering significance or with commercial potential 2. Design and optimization of complex chemical processes (Design) 3. Dynamic modeling and control of process systems and individual process units (Control) 11

  12. Chemical Reaction Engineering Environmental/energy issues – green chemistry Much greater emphasis on biomass as an energy source Biomass conversion, both chemical and biochemical Application of new CI paradigms Microreactors Electro- and photo-chemical systems Reactors used in microelectronics manufacturing: CVD, plasma reactors Bioreactors – fermentation, biofuels, etc. Non-traditional reactor systems: membrane reactors, reactions in SCF Nanotechnology 12

  13. Process & Reaction EngineeringAdditional Thrusts Chemical Process Design: Development of Fundamental Design Methodology Developing global optimization methodologies Chemical Process Control: Development of Fundamental Control Algorithms Model predictive control Robust, adaptive, etc. Reactive Polymer Processing: Paints, coatings, thin films, Microelectronics, environment, etc. Emulsion and miniemulsion polymerization Biodegradable nanoparticles by thiol-ene miniemulsion reaction 13 13

  14. CAREER: Composite-Catalytic MembranesBen Wilhite – Texas A&M Overall Goal: Design multi-layer catalytic membranes capable of achieving reaction and perm-selective reagent separations solely via manipulation of reaction and diffusion. Specific Application: CO-free Hydrogen from steam reforming of fermentation liquors (ethanol-water). H2, CO2 Undesired Permeates (Reactants) Desired Permeate (Product) Undesired Permeates (By-Products) Catalytic Layer (2) Catalytic Layer (1) C2H5OH + H2O H2O + O2 350:1 H2:CO permselectivity achieved solely by reaction and diffusion. 14

  15. Simulation and Design of Chemical-Looping ProcessesGeorge M. Bollas - University of Connecticut Objective: Explore efficiency limits of chemical-looping processes for: • CO2 Capture • Power Generation • Hydrogen Production • Process scale-up Approach: • Realistic integrated process efficiency • Optimal Experimental Design • Optimize fuel conversion and H2 selectivity • Model-based control Merit and Impact: • OED for scale-up modeling • Clean power generation and hydrogen production from fossil fuels • Course on Virtual Hands-On Process Engineering Experience 15

  16. GOALI: Flame-based Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles at Millisecond Residence TimesWilliam Scharmacha,b, VasilisPapavasilliou,a* Mark T. Swihartb*aPraxair Inc., bUniversity at Buffalo (SUNY),*Principal Investigators Rapid Quenching • EEconomical, environmentally-friendly production of < 50 nm metal nanoparticles • AApplications in printed electronics, coatings, catalysts, membranes, etc. Nanoparticle Formation Silver Carbon-coated Copper Thermal Nozzle Water-based Precursor H2/O2 Flame Funded by the NSF Process and Reaction Engineering Program and GOALI program, Grant #CBET-1066945 16

  17. GOALI: Flame-based Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles William Scharmacha,b, Vasilis Papavasilliou,a* Mark T. Swihartb*aPraxair Inc., bUniversity at Buffalo (SUNY),*Principal Investigators Flow Skid Flexibility to produce a variety of pure / bimetallic particles Production of metal nanoparticles for use in electronics, coatings, catalysts Reactor Effluent Particle Analysis PLC / Mass Flow Controller Quench N2 Particle Collection Precursor H2 / N2 Syringe Pump O2 Optimal heating and mixing conditions Compact, simple suitable for high volume production Vent 17

  18. Chemical and Biological Separations Program (CBS) Program Objective: Support fundamental research on novel methods and materials for separation processes 18

  19. Chemical and Biological Separations Program Emphasis Areas Nanostructured materials for separations Biorenewable resource separation processes Purification of drinking water Field (flow, magnetic, electrical) induced separations Adsorption and chromotography 19

  20. Removal of Emerging Contaminants from WaterArturo Hernandez-Maldonado - University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez The Hernandez-Maldonado group is researching methods of removing particular pharmaceutical drug types to improve water quality.  Drug-metal-complexation is being investigated as a means to achieve the selective removal of particular pharmaceutical drug families from water.  Anchoring a transition metal- based species onto the surface of a substrate results in a material with the potential of selectively removing pharmaceutical drugs from water.  Schematic representation of the removal of Naproxen molecules via adsorption with a silica rich surface grafted with nickel-based complexes. Credit: Hernandez-Maldonado and co-workers University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez 20

  21. RUI: Engineering Organosilica Materials that Rapidly and Reversible Swell for Water Remediation Paul L. Edmiston- College of Wooster • TInvention of new forms of swellable silica • glasses that can clean water. • The organically modified silica glass (trade • name: Osorb ™) absorbs chlorinated • solvents and other contaminants and • reduces them into harmless by-products. • This technology is now on the commercial • market and pilot tested with partners such • as the Ohio EPA. • 2011 Breakthrough Award Winner – • Popular Mechanics, October 2011 A flexible web of glass nanoparticles makes up each piece of Osorb. When it comes in contact with pollutants, the web opens up to encapsulate them, causing the Osorb to swell. Ben Goldstein, Popular Mechanics 21

  22. Carbon Dioxide-Selective MembranesWinston Ho - Ohio State University Membranes developed allow carbon dioxide transfer due to its reversible reaction with amino groups within the membrane. The membrane rejects hydrogen, due to the absence of reaction. Unique membranes that possess very high selectivities of carbon dioxide versus hydrogen and nitrogen and very high carbon dioxide permeability at relatively high temperatures have been produced. Potential applications, include: • (1) purification of syngas to produce high purity • hydrogen for fuel cells and other applications, • (2) carbon dioxide capture from flue gas for • sequestration, and • (3) carbon dioxide removal from biogas, natural • gas, confined space air, and ambient air. Image Credit: Jian Zou and W.S. Winston Ho The Ohio State University 22

  23. Catalysis and Biocatalysis Program supports research and educational projects with this emphasis: Fundamental Science, Phenomena & Materials of: Heterogeneous/Homogeneous Catalysis Biocatalysis Electro- and Photo-catalysis Process Conversion Technologies to Produce Fuels, Chemicals, Materials Biorenewable Conversion Catalysis and Processes 23

  24. Catalytic Kinetics and Mechanisms Robert J. Davis - University of Virginia CBET-0624608 Interfacial hydroxide promotes activity in biorenewable alcohol oxidation to chemicals 24

  25. Catalytic Kinetics and Mechanisms (R)-1 1.8 nm Eduardo Wolf– Univ of Notre Dame Wenbin Lin - UNC at Chapel Hill CBET-0854324 Engineerable, uniform asymmetric catalysts based on metal-organic frameworks CBET-10xxxx Conceptual design  of a catalytic nanodiode. CHE-0512495 25 SEM micrograph of a multilayer structure for FTIR studies.

  26. Watching Catalytic Nanoparticles Peter Crozier - Arizona State University - CBET 0553445 Slide 1 of 2 Impact/benefits: Nanomaterials can act as catalysts for many important chemical reactions related to sustainable energy.  However many of the best catalysts are composed of expensive precious metals such as platinum or gold.  Understanding the way the catalysts control the chemical reaction is critical in order to develop less expensive materials for wide spread use in technologies such as fuel cells and solar energy. Figure 2. Solid spherical nickel nanoparticles (left) transforming to hollow nickel oxide nanoparticles (right) on exposure to methane and oxygen gas. Image Credit: Peter Crozier, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ 26

  27. Watching Catalytic Nanoparticles Peter Crozier - Arizona State University - CBET 0553445 Slide 2 of 2 Background: Nanoparticles have unique properties that can be exploited to control many chemical reactions including those relevant to sustainable energy.  The Crozier team at Arizona State University uses powerful microscopes to observe the dynamic behavior of catalytic nanoparticles in action. Correlating microscopy observations with chemical reactor studies allows us to learn about the fundamental processes taking place in nanoparticles which may lead to the development of improved catalysts for energy applications. Figure 1. Color image is a superposition of images from initial nickel nanoparticles (red) and final hollow nickel oxide nanoparticles (blue) after transformation. Image Credit: Peter Crozier, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ 27

  28. Biocatalysis Bacterial Methanol Dehydrogenase/ Mediator Products Methanol e- e- e- ANODE Vadim Guliants University of Cincinnati Daniela Mainardi Louisiana Tech University Effects of surface curvature and confined nanoscale environment on biocatalytic activity Representation of methanol oxidation by bacteria Methanol Dehydrogenase (MDH) in fuel cell anode. CTS-0449046 CTS - 0403897 28

  29. Novel Materials / Syntheses Boris Yakobson William Marsh Rice University Field-emission microscopy demonstrates unambiguous rotation of a growing tube [Nano Lett. 2009] Chiral symmetry, or helicity, defines all physical properties and controls the rate of self-assembly of carbon nanotubes CBET-0731246 29

  30. Next Opportunities for Catalysis & Biocatalysis Catalysis Science, especially utilizing biomass-derived feedstocks Fuels  Chemicals  Materials Photo- and Electro-chemical Catalysis Science Materials Fuel Cells C1 Chemistry and Catalysis Science Energy Storage Fuel Interconversion 30

  31. Cyber-Enabled Discovery & Innovation(CDI) NSF-wide activity, all directorates participating Employ advances in computational concepts, methods, models, algorithms, and tools (computational thinking) for revolutionary science and for generating and applying new knowledge. Transformative, multidisciplinary research proposals within or across the following three thematic areas:   From Data to Knowledge Understanding Complexity in Natural, Built, and Social Systems Building Virtual Organizations • ENG invested ~$12.64 million in FY09.  31

  32. CDI Type II: First-Principles Based Control of Multi-Scale Meta-Material Assembly ProcessesBevan (Johns Hopkins), Ford (UMass Amherst), Grover (Georgia Tech), Shapiro (U Maryland) colloidal assembly using computational thinking free energy landscapes built with trajectory data from digital microscopy (the sensor) actuators: real-time tunable potentials, electric & flow fields control of a high-dimensional system with detailed real-time sensing and limited actuation Scalable fabrication of electrical, magnetic & optical metamaterials 32

  33. Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation: Hydrocarbons from Biomass + Biomass Conversion to Fuels & Chemicals + Inorganic and Biocatalysis DRAFT 33

  34. Biofuel Production Alternatives Forest waste Lipids Sugarcane lignocellulose Fisher-Tropsch Jet Fuel gasification to “syngas” (CO + H2) methanol gases pyrolysis, fast or slow Corn stover bio-oil Diesel dissolution Switch-grass liquid phase processing Sugar/Starch Gasoline starch Corn grain saccharification lignin Heat/Power Ethanol butanol fermentation sugar thermal routes catalytic routes Alga hydrotreating biological routes Soy beans synthetic biology Biodiesel transesterfication 34

  35. ERFI: Engineering new technologies based on Multicellular and Inter-Kingdom Signaling Synthetic biology Engineered multicellular systems Signaling Microfluidics/nanofab Epigenetics Goal:Use molecular tools to understand multicellular and inter-kingdom signaling and engineer new multicellular systems to solve problems in energy, health, food safety and environment. Expected Transformative Impacts: Fundamental knowledge in multi-cellular systems and bacteria–eukaryote interactions  Basic sciences, including developmental biology, stem cells, bacteria–eukaryote interactions  Enabling technologies including synthetic biology, high-throughput tools  Novel engineered multicellular systems  New collaborations between different research communities 35

  36. EFRI: Photosynthetic Biorefineries 36

  37. Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems Division Chemical, Biochemical, and Biotechnology Systems Cluster Personnel • Theresa Good • Biotechnology, • Biochemical, and • Biomass Engineering • eMail: tgood@nsf.gov • Rose Wesson • Chemical and • Biological Separations • eMail: rwesson@nsf.gov Support Staff: Judy Chu Science Assistant Email: jchu@nsf.gov Trenita Howard Program Specialist eMail: thoward@nsf.gov • George Antos • Catalysis • and Biocatalysis • eMail: gantos@nsf.gov • Maria Burka • Process and • Reaction Engineering • eMail: mburka@nsf.gov 37

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