Research
Boost for diatom ecology research
Two new large research projects investigating the
production and degradation of algal mucilages have recently started in the
Department of Biological Sciences.
US researchers sampling mudflats in East Mersea
The research concerns the production of extracellular carbohydrates
(mucilage, slime) produced by intertidal microalgae called diatoms. Very
extensive biofilms of diatoms grow on mudflats in estuaries. At low tide
these motile cells move to the surface of the sediment to obtain light for
photosynthesis and can be seen from the riverside paths between Colchester
and Alresford as swathes of rich glistening chocolate brown or bright
green sediment.
As part of a joint $370,000 project funded by the US National Science
Foundation, researchers from Michigan Technological University (MTU)
recently came to Essex to conduct initial field sampling in the Colne
estuary.
This project, combining biochemical approaches to analyse algal
polymers developed by Dr Mike Gretz (MTU) with the ecological studies
carried out in Dr Graham Underwood's laboratory here at Essex, aims to
identify the different mucilages produced by diatoms under varying
environmental conditions. Joint experimental and field work will be
carried out over the next 3 years, with researchers working in both
institutions.
Running in parallel with the joint Essex-US study is a 3 year,
£200,000 project funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council
awarded to Drs Underwood, Ball and Osborn in Biological Sciences.
Combining molecular and enzymological techniques, this project will
determine the pathways of bacterial degradation of these diatom mucilages
in sediments, and hopefully discover new bacterial consortia and enzymes
for dealing with unusual carbohydrate molecules.
Optical future of the internet
Millions of people across the globe access the internet on
a daily basis for leisure and work related browsing. Its use continues to
grow despite the collapse of the dotcom boom. This growth places great
demands on the underlying technology.
Researchers in the Department of Electronic Systems Engineering are
working to develop ways in which the internet can adapt to increasing
demand.
As the Internet evolves a new concept - the Grid - has appeared. The
Grid, a global communications network enabling individuals to draw down
computing resources to their desk, will be made available by combining the
power of many computers sited at diverse locations. It is the analogy of
the National Grid, which provides electricity to our homes sourced from
diverse generating companies. However, the technical issues associated
with a Global Grid are daunting.
The Photonic Networks Group, led by Professor Mike O'Mahony and Dr
Dimitra Simeonidou, has been awarded two Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council grants, together worth more than £550,000, to tackle
some of these issues. The research will involve designing switch and
transmission sub-systems operating at 40 Gigabits per second and will be
carried out in collaboration with a number of industrial partners.
Professor O'Mahony said: 'For a number of reasons it is likely that the
future Internet and the Grid will be physically separate networks, but
both will be based on optical technology. Current telecommunication
networks have optical transmission between main switching centres, but the
switching within the exchanges is electronic. The use of optical switching
together with optical transmission will enable a more flexible network.'
Also in the printed December edition of Wyvern:
- Bookshelf
- Air quality exposure study
