EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF: Proteomic-Environmental Applications for Contaminant Eradication

This Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) EPSCoR Research Fellows project provides a fellowship to an Associate Professor and training for a graduate student at the University of Kansas Center for Research Inc. This work is conducted in collaboration with Professor Rick Edmondson at the National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Through the fellowship, the PI will advance the use of proteomic analysis to better understand how soil microbes degrade contaminants of emerging concern, including persistent “forever chemicals.” The proposed research will adapt advanced protein-based approaches, widely used in biomedical research, to environmental soil systems. This transdisciplinary approach integrates biochemistry and environmental engineering to accelerate discovery of biological pathways capable of degrading persistent contaminants. The knowledge gained about these natural degradation mechanisms may be of use in efforts to ensure access to safe, clean drinking water. Further, the project will promote partnerships between academic institutions, increasing Kansas’ research competitiveness. This project will develop alternative strategies deployed in biomedical research to advance proteomic analysis of environmental soil samples to better understand how microbes degrade contaminants of emerging concern. The project will expand the scientific frontier by introducing protein-centered approaches to environmental remediation research. The project provides training and access to state-of-the-art proteomic equipment to enable bottom-up proteomic approaches, including differential peptide analysis to identify proteins from environmental samples that interact with contaminants of emerging concern. Bioinformatical training will leverage open-access proteomic workflows to create aggregated databases necessary to identify novel, contaminant degrading proteins. The research will be integrated with the PI’s current leadership role in the Center for Undergraduate Research to boost STEM student engagement and workforce development. This project is supported by the EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Research Fellows, which supports early- and mid-career investigators in eligible jurisdictions to develop collaborations at the nation’s private, government or academic research institutions. 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. NSF Award ID: 2531787 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Justin Hutchison | Institution: University of Kansas Center for Research Inc, LAWRENCE, KS | Award Amount: $286,131 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2531787 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2531787.html