Collaborative Research: Leveraging the interactions between carbon nanomaterials and DNA molecules for mitigating antibiotic resistance

合作研究：利用碳纳米材料和 DNA 分子之间的相互作用来减轻抗生素耐药性

• 批准号: 2307223
• 负责人: Xitong Liu
• 金额: $ 22万
• 依托单位: George Washington University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-01-01 至 2026-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2307223&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Leveraging; interactions; between; Collaborative; Research; Leveraging; interactions; between

Antibiotic resistant bacteria ("superbugs") are considered one of the greatest challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. In the U.S., more than 23,000 deaths per year are associated with antibiotic resistant bacteria, and approximately $55 billion is spent annually to combat antibiotic resistance. The spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria is causing global concern that we may be returning to a pre-antibiotic era. Resistance to antibiotics is carried by the genetic materials of bacteria called antibiotic resistance genes. These emerging contaminants are being rapidly transmitted in built environments such as wastewater treatment plants. Recent studies are exploring the feasibility of using new approaches and materials, such as carbon nanomaterials, to remove antibiotic resistance genes. Despite the great potential, previous studies consistently report inefficient removal due to a lack of in-depth understanding of the interactions between antibiotic resistance genes and carbon nanomaterials. The goal of this project is to understand the fundamental chemistry when antibiotic resistance genes interact with carbon nanomaterials. Based on the knowledge gained from this project, a robust carbon nanomaterial-membrane system can be developed and applied to wastewater treatment plants to combat antibiotic resistance. The system is also expected to be broadly applicable to the treatment of various emerging contaminants that are difficult to remove using conventional technologies. In addition to advancing engineering applications and fundamental chemistry, this project will provide educational opportunities for highly motivated, low-income high school students. Undergraduate students from groups traditionally under-represented in STEM will also be involved in the research. This early exposure to research is expected to be transformative in broadening the horizons and academic/career goals of participating students.Antibiotic resistance genes are considered an emerging contaminant and can spread rapidly in the built environment such as municipal wastewater treatment plants. One of the promising approaches to combat antibiotic resistance is the use of carbon nanomaterials to adsorb and degrade antibiotic resistance genes. However, because the effects of their nanoscale properties on adsorption and degradation are not well understood, inefficient removal is consistently reported in the literature. The goal of this project is to develop a mechanistic understanding of the interactions between antibiotic resistance genes and carbon nanomaterials. This goal will be achieved by pursuing three interrelated objectives: 1) understand the interactions with membranes coated with reduced graphene oxide; 2) enhance the electrostatic adsorption of antibiotic resistance genes on the modified membranes; and 3) enhance the electrochemical degradation of antibiotic resistance genes by the modified membranes. By immobilizing carbon nanomaterials on membranes, the interactions are expected to be readily tuned and enhanced with pressure-driven filtration. In addition, the membranes can act as a support layer for carbon nanomaterials to be electrically charged, allowing electrostatic adsorption at anodic potentials as well as reactive oxygen species-induced degradation at cathodic potentials. Alternation of the electrical potential will also result in synergistic interactions. This project is expected to provide insight into the design of nanostructured materials and heterogeneous nanosystems for water and wastewater applications. The "trap-and-zap" strategy (i.e., adsorption followed by degradation) developed in this project is expected to be applicable to the treatment of emerging contaminants in heterogeneous environments. A major benefit of this project will be addressing the societal need for alleviating the ever-growing energy demand for water and wastewater treatment. This project will promote teaching, training, and learning by supporting \high school, undergraduate, and graduate students in research. The principal investigators have been and will continue working closely with the Society of Women Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers to engage students from groups traditionally under-represented in STEM in research.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

抗生素耐药细菌（“超级细菌”）被认为是21世纪人类面临的最大挑战之一。在美国，每年有23,000多人死亡与抗生素耐药细菌有关，每年花费约550亿美元来打击抗生素耐药性。抗生素耐药细菌的传播引起了全球关注，因为我们可能会恢复到抗生素前时代。对抗生素的耐药性是由称为抗生素抗性基因的细菌的遗传材料携带的。这些新兴的污染物正在迅速在建筑环境（例如废水处理厂）中传播。最近的研究正在探索使用新方法和材料（例如碳纳米材料）去除抗生素耐药性基因的可行性。尽管存在很大的潜力，但先前的研究始终报告说，由于对抗生素耐药性基因与碳纳米材料之间的相互作用缺乏深入了解，因此逐渐消除了效率低下。该项目的目的是了解抗生素耐药基因与碳纳米材料相互作用时的基本化学。根据该项目从该项目中获得的知识，可以开发出强大的碳纳米材料膜系统，并将其应用于废水处理厂，以打击抗生素耐药性。预计该系统将广泛适用于使用常规技术难以去除的各种新兴污染物的处理。除了推进工程应用和基本化学外，该项目还将为高度积极的低收入高中生提供教育机会。来自STEM中传统上代表性不足的团体的本科生也将参与研究。预计这种早期研究的研究将具有变革性的变革，以扩大参与学生的学术/职业目标。抗生素抗性基因被认为是一种新兴的污染物，并且可以在建筑环境中迅速扩散，例如市政废水处理厂。对抗抗生素耐药性的有前途的方法之一是将碳纳米材料用于吸附和降解抗生素耐药性基因。但是，由于其纳米级特性对吸附和降解的影响尚不清楚，因此在文献中始终报道了效率低下的去除效率。该项目的目的是对抗生素耐药性基因与碳纳米材料之间的相互作用进行机械理解。该目标将通过追求三个相互关联的目标来实现：1）了解与减少氧化石墨烯的膜相互作用； 2）增强修饰膜上抗生素耐药基因的静电吸附； 3）增强修饰膜抗生素耐药基因的电化学降解。通过将碳纳米材料固定在膜上，预计相互作用很容易通过压力驱动过滤来调节和增强。此外，该膜可以充当电动带电的碳纳米材料的支撑层，从而使阳极电位处的静电吸附以及活性氧诱导的阴极电位下的降解。电势的交替也将导致协同相互作用。预计该项目将洞悉用于水和废水应用的纳米结构材料和异质纳米系统。预计该项目中开发的“陷阱和zap”策略（即吸附，然后降解）适用于在异质环境中的治疗新兴污染物。该项目的一个主要好处将解决减轻水和废水处理不断增长的能源需求的社会需求。 该项目将通过支持\高中，本科生和研究生的研究来促进教学，培训和学习。首席研究人员已经并且将继续与女性工程师协会，国家黑人工程师协会和西班牙裔专业工程师协会与传统研究中的群体中的学生吸引学生的学生，这反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是通过基金会的知识优点和广泛的criteria来评估。