Scientific Program

Day 1 :

Keynote Forum

Tetyana Milojevic

University of Vienna, Austria

Keynote: Microbial-mineral interface of the extreme thermoacidophile Metallosphaera sedula, grown on terrestrial and extraterrestrial metal-bearing materials

Time : -

Biography:

Tetyana Milojevic has her expertise in the area of metal-microbial-mineral interactions. Since 2014 she is a deputy head of the Department of Biophysical Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna and a leader of Extremophiles/Space Microbiology group investigating biotransformation of terrestrial and extraterrestrial minerals and microbial survivability in outer space environment. She has been leading an “excellence” Elise-Richter FWF research project to decipher metal-oxidizing machinery of the extreme thermoacidophile Metallospaera sedula. 

Abstract:

Metal oxidizing thermophiles represent a unique group of microorganisms, which can prosper in many different kinds of extreme environments using a broad range of energy sources inaccessible to other forms of life. The nature of the microbe-mineral interface, where electron and mass transfer processes arise, is a key element to understand how the transition of geochemistry to biochemistry occurs in extreme hot habitats. The extreme thermoacidophile Metallosphaera sedula is a versatile energy scavenger that flourishes in hot acid conditions utilizing various metal-bearing minerals to run its respiratory electron transport chain. Here we report the extracellular and intracellular biomineralization of M. sedula, grown on terrestrial (tungsten-bearing) and extraterrestrial (stony meteorite NWA 1172 and Martian regolith analogues) materials, as a result of biogeochemical interactions in between the microbe and mineral phase. When given access to these mineral materials, M. sedula releases metal ions into the solution due to its metal oxidizing metabolic activity. Relieved inorganic ions tend to accumulate on the surface of the microbial cells, forming mineral phase precipitates on the S-layer. Employing high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and a comprehensive set of analytical spectroscopy tools, we have performed ultrastructural analysis of M. sedula and resolved metal-microbial interface down to the nanometre scale. These studies have potential astrobiological implications for the detection of extinct or/and extant life, biomining of extraterrestrial resources and especially emphasize the role of chemolithotrophs as geobiological and bioleaching agents, which promote biomineralization and metal solubilisation. M. sedula mediated bioprocessing of tungsten ores provides a low energy and low reagents-requiring alternative to hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical processes to break the tungsten-oxygen bond. 

 

  • Speaker Session

Session Introduction

Dilibe Eucharia Amuche

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Nigeria.

Title: Genetic Engineering
Speaker
Biography:

Dilibe Eucharia Amuche is a microbiologist, a medical laboratory scientist and also an educationist. She is the technical head at the department of medical microbiology, college of medicine, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu university, Awka campus from 2011 till date. She is well experienced in the demonstration of medical microbiology practical. Presently, she is running a Masters degree programme at the department of medical  laboratory science at Nnamdi Azikwe University Nnewi campus. She has  passion for medical microbiology especially genetic engineering. As a medical laboratory scientist she has passion in carrying out accurate laboratory diagnosis which will lead to proper treatment thereby improving the heaith and well being of individuals .Her approach in her write up in this genetic engineering has a different way of focusing.

Abstract:

Genetic engineering is a processing that alters the genetic structure of an organism by either removing or introduction DNA. Unlike traditionally animal and plant breeding, which involves doing multiple crosses and then selecting from the organism with the desire phenotype, genetic engineering takes the gene directly from one organism inserts it in the other. Molecular cloning is a set of experimental methods in molecular biology that are used to assemble recombinant DNA molecules and to direct their replication within host organisms.There are different ways by which foreign DNA can be inserted into cells.Cells have  membranes that prevents DNA from simply diffusing in or out. This is the initial barrier that scientists must overcome in order to insert foreign DNA into a cell. The three ways of accomplishing this goal are transformation, transfection and transduction. Transformation is a way that bacterial cell pick up pieces of DNA from their environments. Transfection is the process of deliberately introducing naked or purified nucleic acid into eukaryotic cells. The word transfection is a portmanteau of trans-and-infection. Genetic material (such as supercoiled plasmid DNA or siRNA constructs) , or even proteins such as antibodies, may be transfected. Transduction is the process by which foreign DNA is introduced into a cell by a virus or a viral vector. In the medical field gene therapy (also called human gene transfer is the therapeutic delivery of nucleus acid into a patients cells as a drug to treat disease. Not all medical procedures that introduce alterations to a patient’s genetic makeup can be considered as gene therapy. Bone marrow transplantation and organ transplants in general have been found to introduce foreign DNA into patients. Gene therapy is defined by the precision of the procedures and the interaction of direct therapeutic effects.

 

Janet Uchechukwu Itelima

University of Jos, Nigeria.

Title: Assessment of antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Dysphania ambrosoides (L.) Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsly) A Gray. and Laggera alata (D. Don)
Speaker
Biography:

Janet Uchechukwu Itelima has her expertise in Applied Microbiology and passion in research related to Applied Microbiology, Biotechnology, and Plant Science, lecturing, and community services. She has obtained her PhD and currently an Associate Professor of Applied Microbiology. She is an academic staff of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Jos, Nigeria. She has published over 45 papers both nationally and internationally. She has also written two books. She is deeply involved in motivating students on how to obtain academic excellence. She is an editor of Direct Research Journal of Agriculture and Food Science and a reviewer of articles published in several Journals both nationally and internationally. She has attended workshops and conferences both home and abroad, where she presented papers, chaired sessions and served in advisory committee. 

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Plant constituents have broad spectrum in provision of their biological properties and structure and thus have become sources active natural products capable of curing many ailments. Regrettably, the therapeutic potentials of medicinal plants are yet to be fully harnessed in many countries. This research was designed to assess the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Dysphania ambrosoides, Tithonia diversifolia and Laggera alata on some pathogenic organisms. Methodology and Theoretical Orientation: The phytochemical screening of the ethonolic extracts was conducted using standard methods. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts against six pathogens namely; Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans was determined in vitro using the agar well diffusion method at concentrations ranging from 25 mg/ml to 200 mg/ml. Gentamycin and fluconazole were used as control. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extracts was also determined using standard methods. The extracts were screened for the presence of phytochemicals, and their inhibition of 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical was used to evaluate their free radical scavenging activity. Standard Rutin, Standard Gallic and Vitamin C were used as reference antioxidants. Findings: The phytochemical screening of the ethanolic extract of Dysphania ambrosoides revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, carbohydrates, steroids, cardiac glycosides, terpenes, while Tithonia diversifolia and Laggera alata revealed all of the above except saponins and terpenes. The sensitivity test revealed the zones of inhibition of Dysphania ambrosoides leaf extracts ranged between (6.00-16.00 mm) with the highest zone of inhibition being exhibited on Bacillus subtilis and the least on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while the leaf extracts of Tithonia diversifolia ranged between (6.00-15 mm) with the highest zone shown on Bacillus subtilis and the least on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Also, the zones of inhibition exhibited by antimicrobial activity of leaf extracts of laggera alata varied from (6.00-16.00 mm) with the highest zone being shown on Salmonella typhi and the lowest on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the extracts plant species with regard to their antimicrobial effects on the various test microorganisms. Also, the mean diameter zones inhibition exhibited by the crude extracts of the plants decreased as the concentrations of the extracts deceased. Overall, the antibiotic drugs used as control exhibited better antimicrobial potential as compared to the plant extracts with zones of inhibition ranging from 13-29 mm for gentamycin and from 14-25 mm for fluconazole. The MIC of the ethanolic extracts of the plant species against the test microorganisms varies between 25-100 mg/ml. The antioxidant activity of the plant extracts were low compared to the control. However, the scavenging effect of L. alata was found was to be greater than those of T. diversifolia and D. ambrosoides. Thus, the inhibition concentration at 50% (IC50 ) was shown in increasing order 0.397±0.00 μg/ml <10.20±0.50 μg/ml <57.60±3.87 μg/ml <32.03±3.45 μg/ml <51.00±6.7 μg/ml <363.30±8.47 for vitamin C, Standard Gallic, Standard Rutin, L. alata, T. diversifolia and D. ambrosoides respectively. Conclusion & Significance: The findings of the present study suggest that the ethanolic extracts of the test plants possess significant antimicrobial and antioxidant activities as well as pharmaceutical potentials which make them potential candidates as natural chemoprophylactic agents. Studies are required to further elucidate antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials using in vivo biochemical and molecular biology techniques.

 

Hakan Bermek

Istanbul Technical University, TURKEY

Title: Applications of microbial fuel cells
Speaker
Biography:

Hakan Bermek focused mainly on microbial fuel cells in the past ten years. His expertise also covers specific topics the fields of molecular biotechnology, biomaterials, novel designs, and microbial enzymes. He and his colleagues investigated the application possibilities for microbial fuel cells in a wide variety of carbon sources as substrates, as well as investigating potential biosensor application. Recently, he is also working on novel microbial fuel cell designs in micro level, that can be easily printed rather than assembled. This approach can be a swift step towards helping commercialization of microbial fuel cells. 

Abstract:

Microbial fuel cells are one of the most promising clean energy and waste treatment options with a potential of commercialization today. They use electrogenic bacteria as the workers of the reactor to extract electrons from various carbon sources and deposit part of these electrons onto the anode in the fuel cell structure. While the electrons are transferred to cathode, they pass over an electric load and do work. While electricity production using microbial fuel cells still faces signifcant challenges such as low currency and power generation as well as scale-up issues, the broadness of the substrate use possibilities makes microbial fuel cells very attractive for biotechnological applications. Among some of the most common ways of utilizing microbial fuel cells is wastewater treatment, biosensor applications and novel designs. Our research focuses on all these aspects of microbial fuel cells use. In our laboratories, fuel cells were used for breakdown of actual or model lignocellulosic waste materials to show that these substrates could be excellent options. Recalcitrant wastewaters such as toxic textile dye wastewaters proved to be possible candidates for treatment using microbial fuel cells. Another problematic waste is the black water from olive-mill treatment released into nature without proper and effective waste treatment. Recently we also showed a good example of biosensor application in microbial fuel cells by detecting and quantifying Neomycin antibiotic in the wastewaters. Finally our current aim is to develop easily printable PDMS micro cells with the inside-printed electrodes. All these examples prove that microbial fuel cells present excellent potential for a wide range of biotechnological applications.