WPI Researcher Receives $1.2 Million Award to Determine How Environment Impacts Gene Expression in Bacteria
May 15 2024 - 3:40PM
Business Wire
Natalie Farny Receives Prestigious CAREER Award
From National Science Foundation
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Natalie Farny
is launching a $1.2 million, five-year project that could advance
the use of bacteria for environmental cleanups by determining how a
critical biological process regulates genes in bacteria as they
adapt to conditions outside of laboratories.
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Natalie Farny, assistant professor in the
department of biology and biotechnology at WPI (Photo: Business
Wire)
Farny, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology and
Biotechnology, will examine the role of methylation on gene
expression in Pseudomonas putida, a soil bacteria that was first
identified in Japan and is considered a versatile organism for
industrial and environmental engineering. The National Science
Foundation has awarded Farny a prestigious CAREER Award to fund the
project, which will provide research opportunities for WPI students
and generate new undergraduate educational resources focused on
synthetic biology, a field that applies engineering design
principles to build novel biological systems for use in fields such
as medicine, manufacturing, and agriculture.
“Genetically engineered bacteria have the potential to break
down contaminants in soil, whether they are explosive materials
deposited on military firing ranges or chemicals left behind by
industry,” Farny said. “To engineer stable bacteria that behave in
predictable and desirable ways once they are released into the
environment, however, it will be essential to better understand how
their genes are impacted by the environment.”
Farny’s project focuses on methylation, a biological process
that can be triggered by environmental factors. Methylation adds a
chemical, known as a methyl group, to an organism’s genome. This
addition can influence how the organism’s genes are expressed. In
bacteria, which are single-cell organisms abundant in nature,
methylation is a key factor in regulating gene expression.
Farny will investigate the impact of methylation on gene
expression of P. putida in soil and in a laboratory system that
uses a liquid containing organic matter extracted from soil. She
also will build gene circuits, which are networks of genes and
regulatory elements that interact with each other, to test
engineered P. putida under soil-like conditions.
As part of her project, Farny will create free educational
resources to introduce undergraduate students to synthetic biology,
develop material for her synthetic biology course, and integrate
synthetic biology into research projects for undergraduates in her
lab. Project funds also will support at least two graduate students
a year in their work, as well as summer research opportunities for
two to three undergraduates a year.
The project builds on Farny’s previous research into cell stress
responses, biological sensors that could assist in remediating
environmental contaminants, and methods for studying bacteria. The
fundamental knowledge gained from insights into cells and their
environment could lead to advances in cleaning up soil to grow food
for Earth’s growing population, which makes the research important
and compelling, Farny said.
“The interaction between a cell and its environment has always
fascinated me,” Farny said. “This project explores an interaction
that has the potential to impact a matter critical to humanity. If
we want to feed a growing population, if we want clean drinking
water from ground sources, we will need to nurture and reclaim
compromised soil. Engineered bacteria are good candidates for this
work.”
About WPI WPI is a top-tier STEM-focused research
university and a recognized pioneer and global leader in
project-based learning. Founded in 1865 on the principle that
students learn most effectively by applying the theory learned in
the classroom to the practice of solving real-world problems, WPI’s
continued mission is to transform lives, turn knowledge into action
to confront global challenges, and revolutionize STEM through
distinctive and inclusive education, projects, and research. WPI’s
project-based curriculum engages undergraduates in solving
important scientific, technological, and societal problems
throughout their education and at more than 50 project centers
around the world. Today WPI offers more than 70 bachelor’s,
master’s, and doctoral degree programs across 18 academic
departments in science, engineering, technology, business, the
social sciences, and the humanities and arts. Its faculty and
students pursue groundbreaking research to meet ongoing challenges
in health and biotechnology; robotics and the internet of things;
advanced materials and manufacturing; cyber, data, and security
systems; learning science; and more. www.wpi.edu
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