Harnessing science to protect planet Earth

From access to safe drinking water to the development of sustainable energy sources to ridding the planet of plastic pollution, Biodesign researchers are taking their cues from the ultimate innovator — nature.

Superfund, meet super bacteria

Decontamination of the nation’s numerous Superfund sites is a public health priority, but the technical challenges are daunting. Chlorinated chemicals known as TCE and perchlorate pose a particular hazard. Due to widespread use and improper disposal, these chemicals have found their way into the environment, threatening human health and surrounding ecosystems. Biodesign researchers have developed new techniques to help clean up contaminated sites using specialized bacteria. By combining the microbes with a unique metal known as zero valent iron, hazardous TCE and perchlorate can be transformed into environmentally benign end products. The process was explored at a Superfund location in Goodyear, Arizona and could provide a model for large-scale cleanup of toxic zones nationwide.

Shedding new light on solar power

Every hour, the sun saturates the Earth with more energy than all humans use in a year. With the world poised to double its energy consumption in just 30 years, harnessing more of this energy is a critical challenge. Solar panels can capture energy only while the sun shines. Biodesign researchers are exploring how to store solar energy in a concentrated form, to be used when and where it is needed. Inspired by the way plants and other photosynthetic organisms collect and use the sun’s radiant energy, researchers are refining technologies that capture sunlight and store it as carbon-free or carbon-neutral fuels.

Catching more rays

ASU and Penn State researchers uncovered new clues about the mysteries of photosynthesis that offer promise in areas from food supply to clean energy. The team demonstrated that certain types of cyanobacteria can acclimate to faint, far-red light that is not normally captured by plants and other species of cyanobacteria. By switching from their normal form of chlorophyll to an alternate form, the cyanobacteria can absorb light with wavelengths above 680 nanometers. This remarkable ability gives these life forms an edge in environments where direct sunlight is limited. Understanding this process could help researchers tweak crops to grow in shaded conditions or create solar panels that work efficiently in varying light conditions.

New solutions for tackling the world’s plastic pollution

Every year, some 600 billion pounds of plastics are produced, of which only a fraction is recycled. This leads to extensive contamination of air, earth and water. Addressing one of the most profound ecological challenges facing humankind, the Biodesign Center for Sustainable Macromolecular Materials and Manufacturing promises to be one of the top centers of its kind in the world. It is dedicated to engineering sustainable solutions to plastic pollution through the development of green materials and the exploration of environmentally sustainable alternatives, rooted in a molecules-tomanufacturing approach.

Donor impact

Glen Swette Estate explores environmental link to ALS

The Glen Swette family is committed to achieving impact in the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. The Biodesign Institute received $495,000 from the Glen Swette Estate for a California-based pilot project to evaluate environmental factors using machine learning. The work will help us better understand the body burden of pollutants that may contribute to ALS. Further, the Swette Young Investigator in ALS provides funding to a Biodesign postdoctoral fellow who will apply pluripotent stem cell technology to ALS to unlock current mysteries surrounding the disease.