| Research
Interests
Our research
focuses on the application of chemical engineering principles
to problems in microbial ecology. The aim is to develop
a fundamental understanding of mechanisms underlying
microbial behavior which will provide insights for future
technological innovation.
Fundamental
Studies of Bacterial Chemotaxis
To increase their chances for survival, populations
of motile bacteria are able to direct their migration
toward chemicals which are beneficial and away from
substances detrimental to their survival. This ability
to sense and respond to chemical gradients is known
as bacterial chemotaxis. A quantitative characterization
of this transport phenomenon is critical for assessing
its importance in microbial processes such as nitrogen
fixation, the development of infection, and the growth
of biofilms on medical implants and marine surfaces.
Our approach involves a combination of experimental
measurements, rigorous mathematical modeling and direct
simulation of bacterial population dynamics at the cellular
level.
Bioremediation
of Hazardous Wastes
Bioremediation technology exploits the natural degradative
processes of microorganisms for the purpose of cleaning
up chemical wastes. This technology is superior to more
conventional treatment schemes because it results in
a permanent solution in which the waste is chemically
transformed instead of concentrated or contained. The
effectiveness of in situ bioremediation can be limited
by the accessibility of the contaminant to the bacteria
which are degrading it. Chemotaxis is one mechanism
which might be exploited to bring the contaminant and
bacteria into close contact and thereby increase the
overall effectiveness of bioremediation. Our research
involves investigating microbial transport limitations
on the overall rates of in situ biodegradation and strategies
for overcoming these limitations. The Computational
Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology was established
to simulate remediation strategies and evaluate their
effectiveness prior to implementation.
Selected
Publications
Kusy, K. and R. M. Ford, “Monte Carlo Simulations Derived from Direct Observations of Individual Bacteria Inform Macroscopic Migration Models at Granular Porous Media Interfaces,” Environmental Science & Technology, 41 (2007) 6403-6409.
Ford, R.M. and R.W. Harvey, “Role of chemotaxis in the transport of bacteria through porous media,” Advances in Water Resources, 30 (2007) 1608-1617.
Olson, M.S. R.M. Ford, J.A. Smith and E.J. Fernandez, “Mathematical modeling of chemotactic bacterial transport through a two-dimensional heterogeneous porous medium,” Bioremediation Journal, 10 (2006) 13-23.
Kohlmeier, S., T.H.M. Smits, R.M. Ford, C. Keel, H. Harms and L.Y. Wick, "Taking the fungal highway: mobilization of pollutant-degrading bacteria by fungi," Env. Sci. Tech, 39, 4640-6 (2005)
Olson, M.S., R.M. Ford, J.A. Smith, E.J. Fernandez, "Quantification of Bacterial Chemotaxis in Porous Media Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)," Env. Sci. Tech., 38 481-504 (2004) 481-504.
Chen, K.C., R.M. Ford, P.T. Cummings, "“Cell balance equation for chemotactic bacteria with a biphasic tumbling frequency," J. Math. Biol., 47 (1997) 518-46 (2003).
Jin, M., R.M. Ford, P.T. Cummings, " A numerical method for solving a scalar advection-dominated transport equation with concentration-dependent sources," Comp. Chem. Eng., 27 1405-19 (2003)
Vigeant, M.A.S., R.M. Ford, M. Wagner, L.K. Tamm, " Reversible and irreversible adhesion of motile E. coli bacteria analyzed by TIRAF microscopy," Appl. Env. Microbiol., 68 2794-2801 (2002). 68 2794-2801 (2002).
Lanning, L.M., R.M. Ford, "Glass Micromodel Study of Bacterial Dispersion in Spatially Periodic Porous Networks," Biotech. Bioeng., 78 556-66 (2002)
McClaine, J.W., R.M. Ford, "Characterizing the Adhesion of Motile and Nonmotile Escherichia coli to a Glass Surface Using a Parallel Plate Flow Chamber," Biotech. Bioeng., 78, 179-89 (2002).
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