Related Items
Research PDF Print E-mail

The Center for Life Sciences Technology, in affiliation with the biotechnology program at the University of Houston, is currently engaged with the following research programs.

  • Development of Learning Modules - Funded by the National Science Foundation and the Texas Workforce Commission, we are in the process of developing novel interdisciplinary learning modules that integrate lab work, traditional academic criteria and newer information technologies. Read more...
  • Upstream and Downstream Production of OPH - Organophosphorous compounds (OP) are potent cholinesterase inhibitors, accounting for their widespread use as insecticides and chemical warfare agents. The current object of this project is to develop optimal growth conditions that will maximize production of Organophosphorus Hydrolases (OPH) an enzyme that degrades OP compounds. We are using Bio- Fermentors to grow high density culture of E. coli DH5α transformed with pOP419, a plasmid that carries a modified OPH gene under the lac promoter with lacI silenced to allow constitutive expression.
  • Use of OPH as Biosensors (in collaboration with Dept. of Chemical Engineering, UH) - We are currently investigating the feasibility of a retroreflector-based assay for the presence of organophosphates (OP). Organophosphorous hydrolase (OPH) produced from recombinant E. coli is being used for the detection of OP compounds present in samples. The device surface will be activated with an OP compound that interacts weakly with OPH but is not hydrolyzed by the enzyme, while gold nanoparticles coated with OPH are used as reporters for the presence of OP. When no organophosphates are present, the OPH interacts with the decoy immobilized on the sensor surface.
  • Integrating an Electronic Lab Notebook with Social Networking - In order to enhance the innovative biotechnology program from the College of Technology, we are also in the process of developing an electronic lab notebook (ELN), called MyLabBook, that builds on the social networking and other Web 2.0 and Semantic Web capabilities of the Drupal framework. Further information will soon be available on the MyLabBook web site.

These endeavors have been funded by generous support from the College of Technology and numerous grants from federal and state agencies and corporate sponsors.