A new biodegradable material to replace certain microplastics

MIT chemical engineers designed an environmentally friendly alternative to the microbeads used in some health and beauty products

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Microplastics are an environmental hazard found nearly everywhere on Earth, released by the breakdown of tires, clothing, and plastic packaging. Another significant source of microplastics is tiny beads that are added to some cleansers, cosmetics, and other beauty products.

In an effort to cut off some of these microplastics at their source, MIT researchers have developed a class of biodegradable materials that could replace the plastic beads now used in beauty products. These polymers break down into harmless sugars and amino acids.

“One way to mitigate the microplastics problem is to figure out how to clean up existing pollution. But it’s equally important to look ahead and focus on creating materials that won’t generate microplastics in the first place,” says Ana Jaklenec, a principal investigator at MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research.

These particles could also find other applications. In the new study, Jaklenec and her colleagues showed that the particles could be used to encapsulate nutrients such as vitamin A. Fortifying foods with encapsulated vitamin A and other nutrients could help some of the 2 billion people around the world who suffer from nutrient deficiencies. 

Jaklenec and Robert Langer, an MIT Institute Professor and member of the Koch Institute, are the senior authors of the paper, which appears today in Nature Chemical Engineering. The paper’s lead author is Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang, an MIT graduate student in chemical engineering.

Biodegradable plastics

In 2019, Jaklenec, Langer, and others reported a polymer material that they showed could be used to encapsulate vitamin A and other essential nutrients. They also found that people who consumed bread made from flour fortified with encapsulated iron showed increased iron levels.

However, since then, the European Union has classified this polymer, known as BMC, as a microplastic and included it in a ban that went into effect in 2023. As a result, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which funded the original research, asked the MIT team if they could design an alternative that would be more environmentally friendly.

The researchers, led by Zhang, turned to a type of polymer that Langer’s lab had previously developed, known as poly(beta-amino esters). These polymers, which have shown promise as vehicles for gene delivery and other medical applications, are biodegradable and break down into sugars and amino acids.

By changing the composition of the material’s building blocks, researchers can tune properties such as hydrophobicity (ability to repel water), mechanical strength, and pH sensitivity. After creating five different candidate materials, the MIT team tested them and identified one that appeared to have the optimal composition for microplastic applications, including the ability to dissolve when exposed to acidic environments such as the stomach.

The researchers showed that they could use these particles to encapsulate vitamin A, as well as vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc and iron. Many of these nutrients are susceptible to heat and light degradation, but when encased in the particles, the researchers found that the nutrients could withstand exposure to boiling water for two hours.

They also showed that even after being stored for six months at high temperature and high humidity, more than half of the encapsulated vitamins were undamaged.

To demonstrate their potential for fortifying food, the researchers incorporated the particles into bouillon cubes, which are commonly consumed in many African countries. They found that when incorporated into bouillon, the nutrients remained intact after being boiled for two hours.

“Bouillon is a staple ingredient in sub-Saharan Africa, and offers a significant opportunity to improve the nutritional status of many billions of people in those regions,” Jaklenec says.

In this study, the researchers also tested the particles’ safety by exposing them to cultured human intestinal cells and measuring their effects on the cells. At the doses that would be used for food fortification, they found no damage to the cells.

Better cleansing

To explore the particles’ ability to replace the microbeads that are often added to cleansers, the researchers mixed the particles with soap foam. This mixture, they found, could remove permanent marker and waterproof eyeliner from skin much more effectively than soap alone.

Soap mixed with the new microplastic was also more effective than a cleanser that includes polyethylene microbeads, the researchers found. They also discovered that the new biodegradable particles did a better job of absorbing potentially toxic elements such as heavy metals.

“We wanted to use this as a first step to demonstrate how it’s possible to develop a new class of materials, to expand from existing material categories, and then to apply it to different applications,” Zhang says.

With a grant from Estée Lauder, the researchers are now working on further testing the microbeads as a cleanser and potentially other applications, and they plan to run a small human trial later this year. They are also gathering safety data that could be used to apply for GRAS (generally regarded as safe) classification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are planning a clinical trial of foods fortified with the particles.

The researchers hope their work could help to significantly reduce the amount of microplastic released into the environment from health and beauty products.

“This is just one small part of the broader microplastics issue, but as a society we’re beginning to acknowledge the seriousness of the problem. This work offers a step forward in addressing it,” Jaklenec says. “Polymers are incredibly useful and essential in countless applications in our daily lives, but they come with downsides. This is an example of how we can reduce some of those negative aspects.”

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The research was funded by the Gates Foundation and the U.S. National Science Foundation.

 

 

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Journal

Nature Chemical Engineering

DOI

10.1038/s44286-024-00151-0 

Article Title

Degradable poly(β-amino ester) microparticles for cleansing products and food fortification

Article Publication Date

6-Dec-2024

 

Conservation paradox: Invasive species are often threatened in their native range

Non-native animals are a threat to biodiversity, yet many are themselves threatened with extinction in their areas of origin

University of Vienna

 

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The wild rabbit is endangered in its native Europe. In other parts of the world, such as Australia, this species has been introduced and has large populations.

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Credit: Alexis Lours

Non-native species introduced by humans are among the main causes of global species decline – they were partly responsible for 60 percent of the species that have become extinct worldwide in recent decades. In Central Europe, non-native mammals include species such as the Norway rat, the mouflon and the mink. Now a study led by biologists from the University of Vienna and La Sapienza University in Rome shows that some of these species introduced by humans are themselves endangered in their native range. The study has been published in the current issue of the journal Conservation Letters.

The globalization of the earth is contributing to the introduction of many animal and plant species into new parts of the world. Invasive species can displace native species through competition or transmit new diseases. At the same time, however, some of these non-native species are threatened with extinction in their native ranges. This creates a conservation paradox – because the question now is, should non-native occurrences of species that are endangered in their native range be protected or controlled? However, it was previously unknown how many non-native mammal species this paradox actually applies to. In the new study, the scientists have now quantified this in order to come one step closer to an answer to this paradox.

Many non-native mammal species are endangered in their native range

A total of 230 non-native mammal species have currently been introduced by humans to new areas around the world and have settled there permanently. "We were interested in finding out how many of these species are threatened even in their native range," explains Lisa Tedeschi from La Sapienza University and the University of Vienna, the lead author of this study. The scientists were able to show that 36 of the non-native mammal species are threatened in their original range and therefore fall under this conservation paradox. "We were very surprised by this high number, as we assumed that invasive species are also common in their area of origin," Tedeschi continues.

Invasion of foreign territories could even save some species from extinction

An important mammal species threatened in its native area is the crested macaque, whose population in its natural range on Sulawesi has declined by 85 percent since 1978, while it has spread to other islands in Indonesia and stable populations are found there. The wild rabbit is endangered in Europe, while in other parts of the world, such as Australia, it has very large introduced populations that are far larger than those in Europe. Most of the threatened species in their native range originate from tropical Asia, which in many cases is a result of massive rainforest destruction and overhunting. Human-introduced populations could therefore help these species to avoid extinction.

Globalization: nature conservation faces a difficult task

When assessing the global extinction risk, species that do not live in their native range are not currently taken into account. In the current study, however, the researchers were able to show that the threat situation of some species would improve if non-native occurrences were taken into account. "For 22 percent of the analyzed species, the global extinction risk would be reduced if non-native occurrences were also included in the assessment," explains biodiversity researcher Franz Essl from the University of Vienna, one of the main authors of the study. According to the scientists, this result underlines the considerable importance of non-native populations for the survival of endangered species – especially when there is a high threat pressure in the native area.

However, including non-native populations of these species in the threat assessment also entails risks – for example, that less attention is paid to the protection of threatened populations in their native range. In addition, non-native populations can have a negative impact on other species. "The main focus must continue to be on protecting species in their native range. However, it is likely that in the future there will be more species that are threatened with extinction in their native range and have better chances of survival in their new range. This presents nature conservation with the difficult task of weighing up the opportunities and risks," concludes Franz Essl. "This is also a fingerprint of the globalization of species distribution."

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Journal

Conservation Letters

DOI

10.1111/conl.13069 

Article Title

Threatened mammals with alien populations: distribution, causes, and conservation.

Article Publication Date

5-Dec-2024

 

DOE partners with UK’s DESNZ and Tokamak Energy Ltd. to accelerate fusion energy development through a $52M upgrade to the privately owned ST40 facility

US and UK governments strengthen ties by partnering with the private fusion sector to advance the development of fusion energy towards demonstration.

DOE/US Department of Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.K.’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and the private fusion company Tokamak Energy Ltd. (TE) today announced a plan to jointly sponsor a $52 million upgrade to the ST40 experimental fusion facility to advance fusion science and technology needed to deliver a future fusion pilot plant. Fusion powers the sun and stars, and, if harnessed on Earth, could provide an abundant, safe, and carbon-emissions-free energy source. This collaboration was selected through the 2025 fiscal year Office of Science open funding opportunity.

In December 2023, the DOE and DESNZ announced a fusion strategic partnership to advance both the U.S. Bold Decadal Vision for Commercial Fusion Energy and the UK’s Fusion Strategy. A major goal of the partnership is to establish shared access to and development of facilities needed for fusion research and development (R&D). Through the DOE-DESNZ-TE collaboration, researchers at universities, national laboratories, and institutes in both the U.S. and U.K. will be able to benefit from the research carried out on the privately owned ST40 spherical tokamak. TE is one of eight awardees of DOE’s Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, where DOE partners with the private sector to advance R&D toward realizing industry-led designs for a fusion pilot plant.

“This represents a huge leverage opportunity for advancing fusion science and technology,” said Geraldine Richmond, DOE Under Secretary for Science and Innovation. “These new investments will strengthen our partnerships with the private sector and our international allies. Each partner stands to gain significantly more than the funds committed.” The ST40 facility, valued at over $100 million, is an existing asset that neither the U.S. nor U.K. governments funded to build or operate.

“Our high field spherical tokamak ST40 has achieved impressive results in recent years, and we are thrilled to commence ST40’s new mission through this strong public private partnership. This program will advance fusion science and technology for spherical tokamaks and the industry more broadly, in pursuit of a common goal to deliver fusion power,” said Tokamak Energy CEO Warrick Matthews. The ST40 facility uses applied magnetic fields to confine plasma. Although the plasma physics of ST40 is entirely non-proprietary and published in scientific journals, TE is developing proprietary, very high-field magnets that rely on high-temperature superconductors.

Fusion requires the simultaneous achievement of three conditions within the plasma fuel: the particles must be hot enough (temperature), close enough (density), and retain their heat for long enough (energy confinement time) to release net energy. Technological advances in the confining magnets being developed by both TE and U.S.-based Commonwealth Fusion Systems (another Milestone Program awardee) are expected to enable the achievement of fusion-relevant conditions in more compact and potentially more economical devices. In a previous partnership with DOE’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), ST40 achieved fusion-relevant temperatures hotter than the core of the sun. The goal of this work is to enable fusion conditions with good confinement that is compatible with sustainment for long durations in a future fusion pilot plant, by coating the inner wall of the ST40 device with the element lithium. 

“PPPL pioneered the use of lithium coatings in fusion back in the 90s. We’ve since refined our understanding of the radical confinement improvements these coatings can enable, and we’re excited to see this expertise leveraged by and advanced in collaboration with the private fusion industry,” said PPPL Director Steven Cowley. 

Both PPPL and ORNL will be assisting in the ST40 facility upgrade. PPPL will lend their expertise in lithium coatings, while ORNL will assist in deploying pellet fueling capabilities. “Our previous experience collaborating with TE on ST40 was very fruitful, and we’re happy to help strengthen the potential of this machine,” said ORNL Fusion Energy Division Director Troy Carter, who also led the development of the 2020 Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee’s (FESAC) Long Range Plan (LRP). “The expansion of public-private partnerships for fusion was a key recommendation from the FESAC LRP and I’m very happy to see new programs like this implemented.”

“We’re eager to see this new capability on ST40, which will provide the U.S. a new platform for addressing key elements of the FESAC LRP and the support of commercialization of fusion energy in the U.S. with our international partners,” said DOE’s Office of Science Associate Director for Fusion Energy Sciences Jean Paul Allain. “What excites me most is the possibility of deploying our university and national lab scientists to leverage this new capability through our Private Facility Research program. It’s these publicly supported scientists, collaborating with their colleagues at private facilities, who drive the major advances needed in this field to support a competitive U.S. fusion power industry.”

“Fusion has the potential to be a clean and sustainable energy source, transforming how we power our country and countries around the world,” said Kerry McCarthy, Minister for Climate in the U.K.’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. “This strategic partnership between the U.K. and U.S. governments is therefore crucial to develop this new and exciting technology, and bring it into use quicker, and is a vote of confidence in the skills and expertise of those working in this innovative new field in the United Kingdom and United States.”

This collaboration is a key example of how DOE is advancing the U.S. Bold Decadal Vision by partnering with the private sector and a strategic international partner to accelerate the viability of commercial fusion energy.

The total funding of $52 million is divided evenly among all three parties (DOE, DESNZ, and TE). The project spans five years in duration, and the facility upgrade is expected to be operational in 2027. Out-year funding is contingent on congressional appropriations and satisfactory progress.

 

New study: Peer-brokered sales central to illegal drug trade

Case Western Reserve research sheds light on hidden networks fueling narcotics trade

Case Western Reserve University

The thought of illegal drug sales evokes images of deals done on shady street corners. But a new study from Case Western Reserve University exposes a critical but underreported element of the illegal drug market: so-called “peer-brokered” sales.

Peer-brokered sales, in which people buy drugs for others within their social circles and take a cut—either as a share of the drugs or money by inflating the price—play a widespread and vital role in the distribution of illegal substances, according to the new study.

The research, recently published in the journal Contemporary Drug Problems, was based on a survey of 241 active drug users in Ohio. Instead of buying drugs directly from dealers, many users rely on friends or peers—often referred to as brokers—to buy drugs for them.

The study found that 71% of respondents had brokered a drug transaction in the past month, and 90% had done so at some point. On average, brokers bought drugs from four different sellers and acted as intermediaries for seven buyers.

The findings challenge the conventional view of drug markets as isolated transactions, highlighting the importance of social networks in facilitating access to illegal substances, said Lee Hoffer, associate professor of anthropology at Case Western Reserve University’s College of Arts and Sciences and the study’s co-author.

“Brokering reshapes the way we think about drug markets,” said Hoffer, who was joined in the research by Allison Schlosser, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Nebraska Omaha. “Instead of isolated sellers and buyers, we see interconnected networks of people exchanging drugs in a way that can drive demand and expand access.”

The study also examined the motivation of brokering, with 84% of brokers using drugs themselves. Nearly half admitted to inflating prices or skimming a portion of the drugs. For many brokers, these exchanges allow them to obtain drugs for free, further complicating traditional approaches to drug-market regulation.

The consequence of peer-brokered sales, Hoffer said, is that it challenges conventional approaches to attacking the illegal drug trade.

“Attempts at supply-and-demand reduction, such as law-enforcement crackdowns, have not proven effective,” he said. “We need new strategies that focus on understanding and addressing the social networks that drive the market.”

The study, which also includes input from syringe-service programs in Ohio, identifies the need for a more comprehensive approach to drug-market intervention—one that incorporates the role of peer brokers.

Hoffer said that, as new drugs emerge and drug-use patterns shift, understanding these networks will be crucial for policymakers hoping to disrupt drug-trafficking.

“If we want more effective public-health strategies, we need to gain a more robust idea of how drug-brokering plays a role,” Hoffer said.

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Journal

Contemporary Drug Problems

DOI

10.1177/009145092412890 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

The Frequency and Characteristics of Brokered Illegal Drug Sales: Reconceptualizing Illegal Drug Markets and Measuring Local Demand

Love thy neighbor

How neighborhood enhances cooperation

Institute of Science and Technology Austria

 

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Jakub Svoboda. The fourth-year PhD student at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) uses his mathematical knowledge to delve deep into evolutionary dynamics.

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Credit: © Zuzana Drázdová

Helping out your neighbor or minding your own business? A challenging choice with different benefits for each decision. Game theory provides guidance in making such choices—from a theoretical perspective. Novel findings by Jakub Svoboda and Krishnendu Chatterjee at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) reveal new network structures that enhance cooperation throughout a system. These insights have potential applications also in biology.

The question of cooperation has puzzled scientists for a long time. Whether it is in the fields of biology, sociology, economics, or political science, finding out under which circumstance a group of individuals can be successful is crucial. Game theory gives answers in that regard—at least from a mathematical standpoint—by analyzing the interaction of individuals within a group.

The Chatterjee group at ISTA uses game theory to address central questions in computer science. Their newest framework, published in PNAS, now details how certain structures of neighboring individuals can boost cooperation throughout a system.

The Prisoner’s Dilemma

Game theory was first presented in “The Theory of Games and Economic Behavior”, published in 1944 by mathematicians and economists Oskar Morgenstern and John von Neumann. Soon after, the Prisoner’s Dilemma turned into the central topic in game theory. “It’s a simple ‘game’ that describes the options we have in many real-world scenarios,” explains Jakub Svoboda, PhD student and first author of the study.

The original mathematical concept involves two prisoners who have the option to betray each other or to cooperate. If they both cooperate, they share a significant reward. When one cooperates and the other player betrays, only the defector gets the benefit. Moreover, the individual benefit would be greater than their share if both cooperated. When both players betray each other, they receive no benefit. The same math not only applies in this scenario but also to an arms race between countries, the lives of bacteria, or even daily situations like deciding who should unload the dishwasher in a shared office kitchen.

From the original framework, it seems like betraying is the most beneficial for individuals. Yet, cooperation is still observed in real-world situations. How come?

“Various mechanisms can foster cooperation,” explains Svoboda. “One of them is reciprocity, which suggests that through certain repeated actions, we might build trust and then cooperate.” An example is seeing your colleague starting the dishwasher every day, leaving your favorite mug clean and ready for your morning coffee. In response, you might begin to help by unloading the dishwasher—a mutual exchange of actions. Another key factor is how individuals are interconnected, essentially the network’s structure. To test these structures, the scientists in the Chatterjee group use spatial games.

Cooperation Tetris

In spatial games, individuals are placed on a grid, interacting based on their spatial relations. They either cooperate or not. While playing a game, individuals might see neighbors doing well. Subsequently, they adopt their strategy. This interconnection influences the spreading of cooperation. Networks (clusters) are formed, effecting the broader dynamics of the whole system. This is very similar to playing Tetris on a Game Boy, where a single block can affect its surroundings and determine the placement of subsequent, ultimately bringing the entire system together.

“It has been known that interconnecting structures like these slightly increase the rate of cooperation,” Svoboda continues. “In our new study, we looked at the potential optimal scenario.” The scientists drew inspiration from natural evolution, where constant selection of structural changes can significantly influence the dynamic of a whole population. For example, Darwin's finches illustrate how such changes can manifest: They have evolved different beak shapes adapted to various food supplies available on the Galápagos Island.

“We hoped that the role of the structure in spatial games could be similarly strong,” Svoboda says. With their new framework, the scientists discovered structures that could boost cooperation in such spatial games. “Our structures show a surprisingly strong boosting property, the best we’ve ever seen,” he adds. The structures look like a string of stars and require areas with many neighbors to be next to places with only a few neighbors.

How this new model and these network structures can be applied to society is still to be seen. In the next months, Svoboda and the scientists from the Chatterjee group will work on generalizing their results to other games and different settings. Due to the broad applications for spatial games, the new proposed structures, however, could find their way also into biology. For instance, biologists can use the new structures to speed up evolution in so-called “bioreactors”, devices with a controlled environment, used to cultivate microorganisms for research or in industry such as biotechnology or pharmaceuticals.

 

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Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2405605121 

Article Title

Density amplifiers of cooperation for spatial games

Article Publication Date

6-Dec-2024

Virginia Tech researchers continue to innovate underwater robotics missions with support from the Office of Naval Research

Virginia Tech

 

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Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics students and Co-Director Dan Stilwell (second from left) with underwater autonomous subs at Claytor Lake, near Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus.

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Credit: Photo by Peter Means for Virginia Tech.

It’s been said that we know more about the surface of the moon than the floor of Earth’s oceans. For more than two decades, Virginia Tech’s Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics has been developing robots that can find what lies beneath the sea surface with the support of the Office of Naval Research.

Bringing together faculty and students from the College of Engineering and the Virginia Tech National Security Institute, the center is developing advanced underwater robots and autonomy algorithms that enable them to operate intelligently without human oversight. The research team recently was awarded two grants totaling more than $5 million to continue that mission. Two additional grant proposals, totaling about $2.4 million, have been selected by the agency and awards are in process.

“Our positive, growing relationship with the Navy is a direct result of our ability to be responsive to the Navy’s needs, including technology development and training of the next generation of Navy science and technology leaders,” said Dan Stilwell, electrical and computer engineering professor. “Our students and staff are designing and deploying the next generation of autonomous underwater robots with capabilities that are far beyond those of current Navy systems.”

Stilwell, who co-directs the center alongside aerospace and ocean engineering Professor Stefano Brizzolara, noted the strong and long-standing support for center’s work from across the Navy’s science and technology enterprise, including various Navy labs and commercial organizations, in addition to the Office of Naval Research.   

The projects and their applications

Advancing Unconventional Marine Platforms, $2.4 million, Office of Naval Research 

This project aims to develop vehicle systems that utilize hydrofoils, or what can be thought of as “underwater wings.” These underwater wings enable a surface vehicle to travel at high speed while using much less energy than a conventional boat. The center is developing several types of unconventional vehicles that use hydrofoils. One type could be ridden by human scuba divers while traveling at high-speed on the surface of the water. The same vehicle would transform itself into a more conventional diver propulsion vehicle and tow a diver while underwater. Another example is a small surface vehicle that is fully autonomous. A specific innovation sought by the Navy for this vehicle is the ability to operate in breaking waves at the surf-zone. 

Applications include:

• Lifeguard-like autonomous rescues
• Taking measurements underneath the waves, providing a novel approach to monitoring and reconnaissance
•  Serving as a platform for cameras and sensors to record

Innovative Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, $2.7 million, Office of Naval Research

This project seeks to enhance the capabilities of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in conducting long-duration missions within challenging and unstructured environments. 

Applications include:

• Advanced methods that allow AUVs to operate efficiently and effectively in non-permissive, unpredictable underwater settings 
• Minimized energy consumption navigation errors over extended period
• Ability to detect and appropriately respond to other entities in the underwater environment, enhancing craft situational awareness and operational safety

Partners

•  Dan Stilwell, co-director of Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics, Seale Coastal Zone Observatory Faculty Fellow, professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Stefano Brizzolara, co-director of Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics, Crofton Faculty Fellow, professor in the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
• Nathan Alexander, associate professor, aerospace and ocean engineering
• Lakshmi Miller, research assistant professor, National Security Institute
• Daniel Jakubisin, research assistant professor, National Security Institute
• Brad Davis, assistant director, Spectrum Dominance Division, National Security Institute
• Andy Kurdila, professor, mechanical engineering
• Majid Monteghi, associate professor, electrical and computer engineering

Progress after Ph.D.

Graduate students in the Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics are working on everything from propulsion to specialized autonomy that enables teams of AUVs to collaborate underwater. Brizzolara and Stilwell together have advised dozens of graduate students and postdocs who are now contributing broadly to the Navy science and technology enterprise.  

For Lakshmi Miller, research assistant professor at the Virginia Tech National Security Institute, partnering with the Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics to enhance the capabilities of one of the center’s infamous underwater vehicles, the VT 690 AUV, is somewhat serendipitous. She earned her Ph.D. from the aerospace and ocean engineering department under the guidance of Brizzolara while working on that very same underwater vehicle from 2019-23. She credits her success in her current position to her experience in the lab.

“Being part of a cross-functional team isn’t something that is present in most Ph.D. programs,” said Miller. “Every week we had team meetings, and it was like having an engineering job at a company. I even had the opportunity to participate in the field trials. So now when I am collaborating on an AUV development at the National Security Institute, working on fast-paced cross-disciplinary teams comes naturally to me.”

Several other Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics Ph.D. alumni have applied their robust research experience from the lab to work in industry and government settings. Jorge Jimenez ‘21 and Benjamin Biggs ’23 both work as senior autonomy engineers at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. They credit the work of applying mathematical concepts to real problems - such as testing AUV capabilities at Claytor Lake - to their now successful careers.

“To this day, the hardest thing I've ever done is obtain my Ph.D. in Dan and Stefano’s Lab,” said Jimenez. “I was previously with the Department of the Navy for three years and wrote proposals, received grants, and even submitted two patent applications, but going through that lab was the hardest thing. It made me well prepared. That experience taught me the right questions to ask and how to be a good contributor, so I am thankful for those four years.”

The bottom line

This support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) highlights Virginia Tech’s expertise in pioneering research that enhances the capabilities of underwater vehicle systems in complex environments. The outcomes of these projects could have far-reaching implications for underwater exploration, national defense, and environmental monitoring, and an even greater impact on the students and faculty involved in these projects. 

Brizzolara has seen his students work on these high-level projects and go on to tackle successful careers in national security, commercial robotics, and more. 

“The partnership we have with the Office of Naval Research is one that is mutually beneficial,” Brizzolara said. “Yes, we are helping solve problems and innovate technologies, but we are also preparing these students in a way that can’t be done in a traditional classroom setting. I know when my students leave here, they will be prime candidates for jobs at the ONR or anywhere else for that matter.”

Many of the students and alumni of the Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics started working in the lab because of their fascination with autonomy and robotics. For Biggs, he appreciates the expertise he gained during his Ph.D. as it is serving him well in his engineering role at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, but his fondest memories of the work were on the lake where it all comes together.

“The wonder of it all is something that just can’t be explained,” said Biggs. “It's almost like magic, to see and understand how these robots work. That feeling of wonder has been a driving force for me. At Virginia Tech, I just wanted to learn more and it's only grown from there. The beauty of seeing these systems work in the real world is an incredible thing.”

 

National Park Service awards UNF grant to significantly expand Florida and Georgia coastline restoration efforts

University of North Florida

 

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Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve coastline

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Credit: University of North Florida

The University of North Florida and National Park Service announced the NPS has awarded nearly $800,000 to UNF to ramp up efforts to restore local coastlines and battle shoreline erosion at three national parks in Florida and Georgia.    

“It’s inspiring to see the years of research and dedication from UNF faculty and students that brought this impactful restoration project together,” said President Limayem. “We look forward to continuing to work with the National Park Service to protect and preserve our coastlines for future generations.”  

The project is based on research by Drs. Raf Crowley, civil, coastal and port engineering professor, and Kelly Smith, biology associate professor emerita, utilizing pervious oyster shell habitat (POSH units) that create living shorelines that help restore coastal ecosystems and sustain against the impacts of coastal erosion. More than 100 units have been installed at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve and Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve so far.  

The POSH units will be expanded at the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, where efforts began in 2022, and new units will be installed along the coastline at Fort Matanzas National Monument and Cumberland Island National Seashore. The grant will be used to purchase a concrete batch plant, a machine only available at a few universities in the world, which will help UNF researchers improve production of the POSH units. Faculty and students in advanced manufacturing and material science courses will also utilize the machine for research and teaching.   

“The Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve and National Park Service are proud to partner with UNF to protect and enhance shorelines along the Georgia and Florida coasts,” said Chris Hughes, NPS’s Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve superintendent. “This partnership focuses on preserving the invaluable ecological services, natural resources and recreational opportunities provided by our shorelines. By combining the preserve’s expertise in conservation and UNF’s strengths in research and innovation, we aim to address critical issues such as shoreline erosion, habitat protection and sustainable recreation.”      

Shorelines are badly eroding in Florida and Georgia. Over the past century, natural oyster reefs have also disappeared at an alarming rate due to commercial oyster harvesting and other factors. If this continues, it could represent an ecological catastrophe because oyster reefs are a critical component associated with salt marsh ecosystems that provide benefits including shoreline protection, nutrient filtration and habitat for aquatic organisms.   

UNF deployed several POSH units last year along two stretches of coastline at Kingsley Plantation in the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, a site with significant historical significance. Preliminary data from these deployments indicate that the POSH units reduce the effects of wave energy under certain conditions, trap sediment, promote shoreline accretion and recruit oysters at a much faster rate than similar structures designed to restore oyster reefs, without the use of plastics that could degrade and harm the environment.  

UNF students will assist in the construction and deployment of these new modules. Workshops will be provided on “how to build POSH units” to community organizations. The community will also be invited to be involved with living shoreline installations throughout this project. 

 

About University of North Florida 

The University of North Florida is a nationally ranked university located on a beautiful 1,381-acre campus in Jacksonville surrounded by nature. Serving nearly 17,000 students, UNF features six colleges of distinction with innovative programs in high-demand fields. UNF students receive individualized attention from faculty and gain valuable real-world experience engaging with community partners. A top public university, UNF prepares students to make a difference in Florida and around the globe. Learn more at www.unf.edu. 

 

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Cardiovascular disease symptoms surprisingly high in young refugees

Weill Cornell Medicine

Many individuals seeking asylum in the United States show increased stress and pain symptoms that are associated with indications of cardiovascular disease according to Weill Cornell Medicine researchers.  

“We would not have expected the rates of these illnesses or conditions to be this high in such a young, otherwise healthy population,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Gunisha Kaur, associate professor of anesthesiology and an anesthesiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

The study, published Dec. 5 in Nature Mental Health, analyzed medical evaluations from 453 U.S. asylum seekers for symptoms associated with psychological stress, cardiovascular disease risk and physical pain. The findings surprised researchers as the median age for the asylum seekers was 30, which is considered young to be showing cardiovascular concerns.

Co-first authors, Dr. Jacob Lurie, interventional pain medicine fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Dr. Harlan Linver Pietz, internal medicine resident at Yale New Haven Hospital, were with Weill Cornell Medicine when the study was conducted.

A Confluence of Stressors Impact Asylum Seekers

Nearly 120 million people globally were affected by forced displacement by the end of 2023, an 8% rise from 2022, according to the United Nations Global Trends report. In addition to a high level of psychological trauma, survivors of torture report other health issues, including persistent physical pain related to traumatic injuries.

During a qualitative study about stress, legal status and pain, asylum seekers seen at the Human Rights Impact Lab at Weill Cornell Medicine, where Dr. Kaur is founding director, reported concerning symptoms of cardiovascular disease. “Clinicians and researchers aren’t typically looking for cardiovascular disease in these young patients,” Dr. Kaur said. This prompted the researchers to consider a larger cohort to determine the prevalence of these conditions.

With Diagnosis Comes Appropriate Treatment

They first reviewed evaluations of refugees from around the world who had visited the Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights between 2010 and 2020. The clinic, dedicated to survivors of torture who are seeking asylum, is run by medical students and supervised by faculty, including Dr. Kaur who is co-medical director.

They found that 47% of participants reported worrisome symptoms of cardiovascular disease, including heart palpitations, feeling like fainting, stroke and chest pain. In addition, 31% of those who experienced cardiovascular disease symptoms also reported feeling symptoms of psychological stress and physical pain. Having both stress and pain symptoms strongly predicted cardiovascular disease symptoms.

The findings may prompt clinicians to consider cardiovascular concerns more seriously when evaluating this younger population. “This will be valuable for clinicians to better understand how these characteristic symptoms of cardiovascular disease can manifest. Without accurate diagnosis, appropriate treatments aren’t possible,” said Annabel Lee, a fourth-year medical student at Weill Cornell Medical College, and a co-author of the study. 

The authors plan to further investigate the occurrence of these symptoms in this population and potential interventions that could mitigate them. They anticipate that the actual prevalence of stress, pain and cardiovascular disease symptoms is actually higher than the findings in this study.

“This is an unexplored, untapped area of scientific investigation,” Dr. Kaur said. “Now that we know these diseases are unexpectedly prevalent, we should be addressing this upfront. Increased rehabilitation and decreased healthcare costs benefit not only these individuals, but the communities in which they reside.”

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Journal

Nature Mental Health

Article Publication Date

5-Dec-2024