Medical University of South Carolina

Alan Decho

Chuanbing Tang

Yung-Pin Chen

Jifu Wang

Yung Pin Chen

Jamie R Lead

Tomohiro Kawaguchi

Jiuyang Zhang

Brian C Benicewicz

Lei Wang

Kristen Miller

Methods are provided for using a combination of nanomaterials and oil-degrading bacteria to detoxify a multiphasic liquid (e.g., an oil-water mixture) and to ameliorate the toxicity of oil to local organisms, e.g., meiobenthos, in or near the area of the multiphasic liquid. The methods can be utilized for oil recovery and environmental clean-up and detoxification after spills and discharges. Through synergistic combination of the nanomaterials with oil degrading bacteria, methods can ameliorate environmental damage due to the presence of oil in an area through increased activation of the bacteria as well as through removal of the oil.

Methods for the amelioration of oil toxicity and stimulation of bacterial oil degradation

Nanoparticles for the amelioration of oil toxicity and stimulation of bacterial oil degradation

A method is generally provided for attaching a polymer chain onto a surface of a nanoparticle, where the polymer chain comprises a cyclic arrangement of saccharides. The resulting grafted nanoparticle is also generally provided, along with its methods of use by exposing to a bacteria colony.

Cyclodextrin functionalized nanoparticles for quenching bacterial communications

Anion-paired metallocene-containing compounds are generally provided, along with methods of making the same. In one embodiment, the anion-paired metallocene-containing compound includes a cationic metallocene moiety covalently connected to an organic functional group, and an anion paired to the cationic metallocene moiety. Generally, the cationic metallocene moiety comprises two cyclopentadienyl anions bound to a metal center in the oxidation state I.

Anion-paired cationic metallocene-containing compounds and polymers as antimicrobial agents

Methods for forming rosin-derived cationic compounds are provided. The method can include attaching a cationic group to a conjugated diene on a hydrophenathrene-based ring of a resin acid (e.g., levopimaric acid, abietic acid, dehydroabietic acid, or a mixture thereof) to form a rosin-derived cationic compound. Attaching the cationic group to the conjugated diene on the hydrophenathrene-based ring of the resin acid can be achieved via a Diels-Alder reaction of a dienophile with the hydrophenathrene-based ring of the resin acid. Rosin-derived cationic compounds are also provided. The rosin-derived cationic compound can include a cationic group attached to a conjugated diene on a hydrophenathrene-based ring of a resin acid, wherein the rosin-derived cationic compound further comprises a carboxylic acid group.

Rosin-derived cationic compounds and polymers

A cell-lysate extract based assay reagent for detecting quorum sensing signals is generally provided, along with methods of making and using the same. The assay reagent generally includes a cell-lysate extract formed from a biosensor bacterium (e.g.,NTL4 (pCF218)(pCF372)) and a detecting substrate (e.g., an absorbance-based or luminescence-based substrate). The cell-lysate extract can be prepared by (1) disrupting the cell membranes of the biosensor bacterium to release the cellular components into a solution, (2) centrifuging the resulting solution, and (3) removing the resulting supernatant solution.

High throughput in vitro translation (cell-lysate based) assay for detecting quorum sensing signals

Rosin-derived cationic compounds and polymers along with their methods of preparation

High-throughput in vitro translation (cell-lysate based) assay for detecting quorum sensing signals

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, SC, United States of America

Alan Decho