Date: Friday, September 16, 2016 l Time: 12-1 pm l Location: 223 Jarvis Hall Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Seminar Series

BlainePfeifer,PhDChemicalandBiologicalEngg

UniversityatBuffalo

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The Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Seminar Series is hosted in 223 Jarvis Hall every Friday from 12-1 pm. Faculties from inside and outside UB are invited to give lectures on contemporary research in relevant topics. Graduate students also participate in discussing their research in some occasions. This fall’s speaker are following.

Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Seminar Series Fall 2016

Kyle BibbyCivil and Environmental Engg

University of PittsburghEnvironmental Microbiology

Blaine PfeiferChemical and Biological Engg

University at BuffaloMetabolic Engineering and Therapeutics

Nancy LoveCivil and Environmental Engg

University of MichiganEnvironmental Biotechnology

Greg CharacklisEnvironmental Sci. and EnggUniversity of North Carolina

Water Resources Engg. & Management

Sara BehdadIndustrial and Systems Engg

University at BuffaloGreen Engineering Technology

Andrew WheltonCivil Engg./Environmental And Ecological Engg

Purdue UniversitySustainable Materials, Water and Energy

Systems, and Nanotechnology

Zoe HamsteadRENEW/Urban and Regional Planning

University at BuffaloAccess to Environmental Resources and Vulnerability to Environmental Threats

Blaine Pfeifer is an Associate Professor at the University at Buffalo, The StateUniversity of New York in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department.He obtained his B.S. from Colorado State University followed by pre- andpostdoctoral training at Stanford University and MIT. His current research themesare heterologous natural product biosynthesis and antigen presenting cell genedelivery with heavy emphasis on developing new antibiotics and vaccines foremerging or resistant infectious diseases.

Bio-Sketch

Biosynthetic Engineering and Green Manufacturing Applications for theNonribosomal Peptide-Polyketide Siderophore Yersiniabactin

Yersiniabactin (Ybt) is a mixed nonribosomal peptide-polyketide natural product natively produced by thepathogen Yersinia pestis. The compound enables iron scavenging capabilities upon host infection and isbiosynthesized by a nonribosomal peptide synthetase featuring a polyketide synthase module. This pathway hasbeen engineered for expression and biosynthesis using Escherichia coli as a heterologous host. The biosyntheticprocess for Ybt formation has been improved through the incorporation of a dedicated step to eliminate the needfor exogenous precursor provision. Furthermore, precursor-directed biosynthesis was used to systematicallyproduce Ybt analogs. Upon doing so, resulting compounds were tested in applications that highlight the metalchelating nature of the compound. More specifically, the compounds are being tested for industrial wastewaterheavy metal removal and recovery with the goal of aiding the environmental and economic outcomes associatedwith processes across the electrical, plating, semiconductor, solar panel, automotive, and e-waste sectors.

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