Conference on Science at the Sanford Underground Research Facility

Session

Biology - Parallel

May 14, 2024, 2:00 PM

CB 204 W (SD Mines)

Conveners

Biology - Parallel: Parallel I

• RAJESH SANI (SD School of Mines and Technology)
• Tanvi Govil (South Dakota Mines)
• TANVI GOVIL (SDSMT)

Biology - Parallel: Parallel II

• RAJESH SANI (SD School of Mines and Technology)
• Tanvi Govil (South Dakota Mines)
• TANVI GOVIL (SDSMT)

99. Exploration of subsurface microorganisms with single cell techniques

Dr Ramunas Stepanauskas (Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences)

5/14/24, 2:00 PM

Biology

Oral

Abstract: I will review recent work performed by my group on the genome and phenome analyses of individual microbial cells in their natural environment. I will introduce the key concepts, rationale and instrumentation behind these technologies, along with examples of their application. Next, I will focus on results from deep subsurface microbiome studies, including SURF. Together, these...

94. From undergorund to space: How extremophiles can be developed for consumer product goods

Dr Kyle Landry (Delavie Sciences)

5/14/24, 2:20 PM

Biology

Oral

Abstract: The use of biology in consumer product goods has been a common practice for many years. However, only recently have consumers started to appreciate and intentionally look for products that feature novel biological compound. Extremophiles are a relatively untapped resource for the health and wellness product space. Delavie Sciences has leveraged extremophiles for the creation of...

95. Biology research at SURF

Dr Markus Horn (Sanford Underground Research Facility)

5/14/24, 2:40 PM

Biology

Oral

Abstract: The Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) with its vast underground footprint provides opportunities for research activities beyond astroparticle physics, rare event searches and neutrino physics. SURF is hosting biology research focusing on microorganisms in extreme environments, biofilms, as wells as astrobiology and in-situ cultivation. A brief overview of the research...

55. The Impact of Oxygen Concentration on Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria and the Characterization of Novel Bacteria from SURF

Dr Christopher Garner (University of Oklahoma)

5/14/24, 3:00 PM

Biology

Oral

Methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) play a crucial role in the global methane cycle, serving as significant actors in biogeochemical cycling. However, their physiological response to changing oxygen concentrations remains incompletely understood. This study, in part, demonstrates how two MOB species, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b and Methylomonas sp. WSC-7, respond to changing oxygen...

37. Enhancement of methane oxidation in methanotrophs

Dr Dipayan Samanta (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology)

5/14/24, 3:20 PM

Biology

Oral

Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, has garnered significant attention due to its environmental impact and economic potential. Enhancing methane catalysis poses challenges in both chemical and biological sectors. Biological methane conversion offers advantages such as higher conversion rates, improved selectivity, self-renewal properties, and economically feasible upstream processing. The...

40. Mitigating Plastic Pollution in Agriculture through Biodegradable Mulch Films

Mrs Antonia Gibbs (South Dakota Mines - Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering), Jasmeet Kaur (South Dakota Mines - Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Health Sciences)

5/14/24, 4:20 PM

Biology

Oral

Antonia Gibbs (1) and Jasmeet Kaur (2), Chirag Abrol (2), Tanvi Govil (1), Heidi Sierveding (3), and Rajesh K. Sani (1,2)
1 Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD, USA
2 Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Health Sciences, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD, USA
3 Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), South Dakota...

25. Urban Mining of e-scrap – Biohydrometallurgy is the future

Dr Sudhir Kumar (Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173234)

5/14/24, 4:40 PM

Biology

Oral

Voluminous generation of electronic waste (e-waste) is a global trend, with 53.6 Mt of generation in 2019; it is further expected to reach 74.9 Mt by 2030 world-wide. This waste is a secondary source of various valuable metals including critical and rare metals, and processes of recovering these metals has been seen with the concept of urban mining. While pyrometallurgical and...

47. Effect of bioavailable copper on Oleidesulfovibrio alaskensis G20 biofilm formation

Ms Payal Thakur

5/14/24, 5:00 PM

Biology

Oral

Copper is known to have inhibitory effects on bacterial growth. However, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) have demonstrated the ability to grow in the presence of toxic levels of metal ions. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of Cu(II) ions on biofilm formation by the SRB strain Oleidesulfovibrio alaskensis G20 (OA-G20) in a lactate-based medium supplemented with varying concentrations...

53. Metagenome Assembled Genomes (MAGs): Extreme Habitat of Deception Island

Dr Ram Singh (SD Mines)

5/14/24, 5:20 PM

Biology

Oral

Deception Island is an active volcano area in the southern Antarctic and forms a very unique ecological niche for extremophilic organisms, especially microbes, that survive and thrive in such habitat. A total of 7 samples were collected in an expedition in 2022 at sites of Fumarole Bay, Kronar Lake, Whaler’s Bay, Pendulum Cove, Crater 70, Telephone Bay, and Obisidiana. Multiple extractions...

100. Extremophilic processes and microbiome: Companion for marching towards net zero

Dr Balendra Singh (Department of Biotechnology, India)

5/14/24, 5:40 PM

Biology

Oral

Abstract: The microbiome is a community of microbes living together in a specific habitat. Microbiome is the all-rounder player in nature that participates in dual functions in natural processes. They are the producers of green-house gases, and consumers too. The bioenergy and environmental processes to produce the fuels, chemicals and materials with net zero emissions are mandatory to achieve...

49. Synthesis and antibacterial efficacy of chitosan-stabilized calcium peroxide nanomaterials

Dr Jayaramudu Tippabattini (Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, United States)

Biology

Oral

Presently, there is a significant focus on synthesizing antibacterial nanomaterials for various antibacterial applications, necessitating modifications to the chemical processes involved. In this study, we present the synthesis of chitosan-stabilized calcium peroxide (CCP) nanomaterials (NMs) using a facile precipitation technique with varying reaction temperatures. The crystalline structure...