Dr. David Bressler
Check out Dr. David Bressler's lab which focuses on using thermal, chemical and biological approaches to convert various feedstocks!
Dr. Bressler
About This Lab
Key Terms: Feedstock, Energy, Fermentation, Applied Microbiology, Biotechnology
What is your research about and how would you describe your work at the undergraduate/basic level?
Our lab focuses on using thermal, chemical and biological approaches to convert various feedstocks, including waste streams, to value-added products. This includes energy, materials, and platform chemicals. In the area of synthetic biology, our lab has the infrastructure and expertise to facilitate modification of microorganisms, growth of cultures in flasks as well as in 5 L and 10 L fermentation units, downstream processing of cultures, and analysis of product streams. More information about our lab can be obtained from our webpage.
What techniques and equipment do you utilize in your lab?
We have standard molecular biology infrastructure (i.e. PCR machines, gel electrophoresis, incubators, etc.) to facilitate genetic manipulation and characterization of microbes through transformation, transfection, and or CRISPR. Microbes can be grown in either aerobic or anaerobic conditions using a variety of fermentation approaches including batch, fed-batch, continuous, and self-cycling fermentation. The microbes can be harvested through centrifugation and dried through either spray-drying or freeze-drying. Samples of the fermentation broth, as well as the dried microbes themselves, can be analyzed through a variety of techniques, which can all be performed in house. This includes liquid and gas chromatography, elemental analysis, metal analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, NRM and others.
What kind of students are you looking for (e.g. summer students, volunteers, upper year thesis students, grad students)?
Our lab is always looking for curious scientists that are excited to learn and problem solve. We have a strong track record of training summer students, volunteers, upper year thesis students, and grad students.
A fun fact about you that may surprise your students?
I founded, managed and played on a soccer team for 24 years. The team was founded during my graduate studies and consisted predominantly of fellow graduate students and friends from across the University of Alberta.