Home Department: Chemistry
Mentor: Lynette Cegelski, Chemistry

“Probing Atomic Contacts Between Phosphoethanolamine Cellulose and Curli in E. Coli Biofilms”

Bacterial biofilms are responsible for pernicious, prolonged infections: they promote the persistence of bacteria and reduce susceptibility to host defenses, antibiotics, and environmental stressors. Dante’s research will investigate the assembly and atomic interactions of specific unusual biopolymers responsible for the formation of Escherichia coli biofilms, using novel biochemical preparations and solid-state NMR spectroscopy analyses. This information will help him to investigate the mechanisms of biofilm inhibitors to better elucidate how to prevent the initial formation of biofilms and potentially eradicate preformed biofilms.